Clash for Love
by RitaMeow
Summary: Lovers have come together, so everything should be great, right? Wrong. The lives of Senjus and Uchihas are never easy and smooth, especially for Izuna, Madara Tobirama, and Hashirama. Second part of Sprouting Romance! HashiMada and TobiIzu, and Fem Madara and Fem Izuna.
1. Chapter 1

Okay, so we go for a change of the overall mood and turn a bit more forlorn. The second half is more gloomy, and I think I'm actually better at doing that. Let's dive into the story!

* * *

Eleventh grade ended, and the two pairs of lovers enjoyed discreet meetings out of their oppressive homes throughout summer break by lying to their parents, each time sharing kisses and creating sweet memories. After the two month holiday, all four of them had fallen even more in love than ever. When Hashirama went to school with his girlfriend at his side and his brother and _his_ girlfriend behind them on the first day of his third year of high school, he felt apprehensive for some reason. Something at the back of his head was whispering "Trouble ahead!", but he had no idea what the trouble might be.

" _I did well on the exams, so that's not it. Madara and I haven't been discovered by either of our parents, so that's not it either. What can it be?"_ He thought as he unconsciously squeezed his girlfriend's hand. Madara glanced at him, confused.

"What?" She asked, cocking her head to the left. Hashirama shook his head and kissed her cheek.

"Nothing, Madara." He replied. "It's just a feeling. Nothing important." Little did he know how strong his sixth sense was.

* * *

A sports car zoomed in front of Konoha High School, coming to an impressive stop. Students were already staring, and someone was already whispering how the school was probably going to have another rich kid. Hashirama saw the commotion, and watched the incident from afar. Slowly, the car door opened, like a scene in a movie, and two boys stepped out of the car. The older looking boy had short brown hair that curled at the edges, and the younger one had dark blond hair that nearly reached his shoullders. They were both pretty good looking, and judging by the way they stood, they were gentlemen from the higher class of society, like the Senju and the Uchiha clans. A few girls were already squealing at their gentle aura and good looks, making the guys give them glares and envy.

"Hashirama, what's happening over there?" Madara asked. "I can hear those banshees from a mile away."

"Oh, it's just two new boys." Hashirama replied softly. Madara took one look at the boys, turned three shades paler, and dragged him away, running at top speed.

"Whoa, Madara! Slow down! What's with the rush?" Hashirama yelled, confused. Madara didn't reply until they reached their classroom. There, she trembled like a leaf and mumbled a few words that made his body run cold.

"My fiancé. That's Izuna and my fiancés. They're here, ready to report everything I do to Otousama."

* * *

Takeshi looked up at the school, wondering if he would fit with this crowd. Not that he cared though. Rich people usually didn't fit in unless they were with other rich people.

"Takeshi, did Tajima sama put us in the same class as them?" Katsuki's voice sounded from beside him. His voice had always been a little languid, something girls found alluring. Katsuki had always had the playboy aura around him, which attracted girls like a flower would to a mass of butterflies, even though he wasn't actually that much of a playboy.

"Yes, of course, or all this would be a waste, wouldn't it?" He replied. He and Katsuki had been friends forever due to the engagements since they both had problems with their fiancées, even though there was a one year gap. "He specifically forced…er, told the school to make this arrangement."

"Really, Tajima sama thought this would work?" Katsuki asked as he waded through excited fangirls. Takeshi winced at their heart shaped eyes. He hoped the girls wouldn't look at them both that way, for obvious reasons. Both their rings were on their fingers, glistening in the morning sunlight.

"Anyway, let's go find the principal's office." He said, before asking a girl where the office was. The girl turned scarlet and screamed a string of directions before running away. Katsuki and Takeshi sweatdropped. That was really unnecessary.

"Okay…"

"Let's go then." Katsuki said as they both followed the directions the girl gave. Sure enough, they arrived in front of the doors of the principal's office. Takeshi knocked lightly on the door, received a "Come in", and opened the door. There, sitting at the principal's desk, was an old man.

"New students, please do come in." The old man said jovially. "I am Hiruzen Sarutobi, the school's principal. I assume you are the boys Uchiha san has enrolled."

"Yes, we are." They answered in unison. Hiruzen smiled and motioned for his secretary, Shizune.

"Give them their books, Shizune, and send them on their way. I'm sure they want to meet their new classmates.

"Yes, sir." Shizune replied before loading a stack of books into their hands. "Come, I will show you the way to your classes."

Hashirama was worried. Madara had looked like a living ghost for the past few minutes, and she wouldn't stop trembling.

"Madara, calm down."

"Don't you get it?!" She fiercely whispered. "He would give US away! His words have more credibility to my father than mine do!"

"That doesn't mean-" He was cut off as the door opened and a boy walked in. Hashirama recognized him as the boy they saw at the school door. Madara let out a silent scream as the boy's eyes fell on her.

"Oh, hello there. Introduce yourself please." Genma sensei said emotionlessly.

"Of course." The boy said politely. "My name is Takeshi Ooboro. Yoroshikune, minna." He gave everyone a soft smile, which of course elicited a few squeals from the girls. Madara looked at the girls in disdain, and when Takeshi looked at her, she turned her head away, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Takeshi, please sit down beside Neji." Genma sensei said, motioning for the black haired teen. "He's the boy with light lavender eyes." Hashirama felt dread, because Neji sat in the desk beside their own. He didn't really know what to think about his girlfriend's fiancé sitting just a desk away, but he knew Madara wanted the dude as far as away from her as possible.

"Yes sir." Takeshi gave a small polite bow before walking to the spot beside the Hyuuga. Neji didn't say anything: he just contemplated him with his lavender eyes, which seemed to see through everything he laid his eyes on. Madara leaned slightly against his body, seemingly to look at his book but actually was seeking comfort. Discreetly, he circled his left arm around her waist. They stayed like that for an entire class, careful to not let the teacher or Takeshi notice.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, AP officially sucks. Especially the free response questions. Anyway, we're going on to Chapter 2! Hope you guys like it and review!

* * *

It wasn't until break time did Takeshi approach Madara, and by unconsciously attracting a lot of girls, he just made the whole thing more awkward.

"Hello, Madara." He smiled. Madara just glared at him coldly, her gaze smoldering, as she slammed her book down and stood up.

"Why are you here?" She demanded. The girls stared at the exchange in confusion, but Hashirama understood. He didn't interrupt them, though, because Madara probably want to conceal their relationship.

"Your father sent me here." Takeshi answered, his voice soft. "He wanted me to bond with you here."

"You will never bond with me, and vice versa." Madara said emotionlessly, before turning away and resume her reading. Hashirama gave Takeshi an apologetic smile.

"She's usually nice." He assured, before realizing this guy was Madara's _fiancé_. He probably already knew what Madara's personality was, way before he did, and him saying this about her personality could actually hint at their relationship, something he didn't want to do.

"Of course." He said hesitantly, suddenly looking at him suspiciously. "She's nice to people here?"

"Uh, yes." Hashirama lied. Takeshi's eyes rested on him for a few more seconds before they drifted back to Madara. Hashirama knew it wasn't nice to dislike people the first time he met them, but he couldn't help but have a disdain for him. He acted as if Madara was supposed to be his, as if that was how things should be in the first place. Maybe the reason why he lied was to trick him into believing how badly he was treated compared to others by his own fiancée.

" _When have I become so conceited?"_ Hashirama thought as he returned to his seat. _"Madara used to say I'm pretty stupid but honest."_

* * *

Meanwhile, Tobirama was going nuts. This Katsuki appeared out of nowhere and started flirting with his girlfriend, making it pretty clear that she was _his._ Sakura and Ino were sending him questioning gazes, but he didn't even bother to return them. If he had to guess, this playboy-like new student who was flirting with Izuna was her fiancé.

" _After that confession that nearly took my life, after only a few months of secretly dating, after realizing I'm falling for her more and more every day, Izuna's fiancé comes and ruins everything."_ Tobirama thought unhappily as he flipped the pages of his novel absently. _"I'm no match to him. He's good-looking, and definitely rich. I'm supposed to be my own girlfriend's rival and family foe. There's no reason for her to choose me over him."_

"So, Izuna, tell me again. Who is this boy beside you?" Katsuki's voice sounded beside him. "I'm sure many girls like him, no?"

"He's my friend. About the girls liking him part, I don't really know." Izuna said somewhat rigidly. Tobirama figured she probably didn't want her fiancé to know about her having a relationship with a boy that's not him. Well, that made sense, but it didn't make him feel better.

"Oh okay." Katsuki relied, seemingly convinced. His eyes, however, drifted to Tobirama's burgundy ones. His eyes conveyed a message that made the younger Senju tense: " _Like hell I believe that."_

" _Oh Kami no."_ Tobirama thought as he returned his gaze. "Is there anything you want, Katsuki?"

"No, none at all." Katsuki said coolly. "Just for your information, I've been _friends_ with Izuna for a long time." Tobirama didn't need an undertone interpreter to feel the territorial vibes rolling off the blond. Izuna's eyes caught his from behind her fiancé, and she mouthed "Meet me outside later" quickly, before Katsuki turned back and continued to chat with her.

Quite a lot of time went by before Katsuki was called away by the teacher for all the "new student stuff". Izuna gestured at Tobirama to go out, which he immediately complied. They sneaked out when their friends weren't looking through the back door of the classroom. Once in the hallway, Izuna immediately started apologizing.

"I didn't expect him to come at all! I'm so sorry this happened! Argh!" She yelled in frustration. Tobirama shook his head and gently embraced her.

"No one knew of this arrangement. Your father didn't warn either of you."

"I still feel bad about it." Izuna muttered against his shirt. "Worst of all is we can't go through our everyday lives as a couple now."

"That's the worst part." Tobirama whispered into her ear, but his thoughts were running all over the place. _"Maybe I should break it off now. That would save us the heartbreak that's sure to happen later. Yet I don't want to let go of her just like that, she wouldn't either, but my responsibilities, oh my responsibilities, what should I do with them…?"_

"You still love me, don't you?" Izuna suddenly asked, raising her head from his shirt. Her eyes were filled with insecurity, and it made Tobirama's heart wrench. "Even if I'm such a troublesome, annoying girlfriend, you still want to be with me, right?"

Despite all thoughts of breaking it off as fast as possible, Tobirama could only muster a quiet "Yes", but his mind was saying something entirely different.

" _I love you with all my heart, but the being with you part? That isn't for me to choose, is it? Our paradoxical relationship is probably going to plague my mind for a long, long time to come, and bring down both of us at the worst time possible. Yet once again, turning you away is impossible to even think about."_


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, I just realized I forgot to update last week. Well, here's the chapter. I'm trying to thicken the plot, so I hope I achieved that. Please give me reviews! I feed on those things.

* * *

" _So that's what drug addicts feel like when they do rehab. Life without the Uchihas suck."_

That was what the Senju brothers thought after a week without flirting with and teasing their raven haired beauties. Their fiancés took all the opportunity of being in their proximity, leaving both Senjus feeling like failures. Worst of all, their lovers still gave them pleading looks when they could do nothing but watch, seething with anger. Even Hashirama, who was usually amiable, kind, and extroverted like a ray of sunshine pouring down from the heavens, lost his temper.

"I swear to Kami if I see that Takeshi touch Madara _again_ , I would pick a fight with him and punch his eyes out!" Hashirama exploded one night in his room. Tobirama nodded in agreement. Katsuki was a persistent flirt, and it made him cringe every time he said some flirty lines that sounded like it came out of some sappy TV show.

"Takeshi is a _gentleman_ , Onii sama. You should see how Katsuki behaves like a womanizer that hits on every girl in a pub."

"That is irrelevant, Tobi!" Hashirama yelled. "I'm going to have a talk with him tomorrow, no one's stopping me!"

"Be careful with your reputation, Onii sama." Tobirama muttered. As much as he would like to beat the living shit out of Katsuki, he wouldn't do it. If he did that, Katsuki would have something to blackmail both him and Izuna, and he couldn't risk that. His brother, on the hand, didn't seem to have such a complicated thought process. May Kami be with him.

* * *

As it turned out, Hashirama didn't even need to ask Takeshi for a talk. He asked for it himself.

"Hashirama, can I talk to you?" Takeshi asked, every bit like gentleman, but his eyes flashed. Hashirama jumped at the opportunity and immediately followed him outside. Once when they were out of earshot and sight of their classmates both in the classroom and the hallway, Takeshi's demeanor changed. He was no longer the gentleman of fangirls' dreams. His eyes flashed with irritation and annoyance and his voice turned icy cold.

"What kind of relation do you have with Madara?" He spat. "Don't lie to me, because I already know. I'm just confirming."

"Well, I don't want to tell you that. If you know it already, what's the point?" Hashirama retorted. "You can't stop me from liking her or her from liking me. She doesn't even like you. All she sees in you is a person who will be imprisoning her, as a tool to wealth and power, and nothing else." Takeshi let out an animalistic growl and shoved him, rage glowing in his eyes. Hashirama immediately shoved back, and soon they were crashing each other against the wall. Thank Kami no teacher passed by because it would certainly get them into trouble.

"Don't you dare say that about me! I don't see her as a tool, never!" Takeshi yelled, pushing him against the wall. For a rich, delicate-looking guy, he sure had strength. Hashirama winced from the impact of the wall, and retaliated by reversing their positions, crashing Takeshi against the concrete surface.

"That's what she told me herself!"

"Well, she doesn't know me, because _I_ know I'm not like that." Takeshi hissed. "I love her, just like you do. I'm not stupid, Hashirama. I knew from the start you two were something more than friends. The way she looks at you, the way she talks to you, it's different and would have been awkward had you two been normal friends. What do you think kept you guys from being found out? Why do you think I haven't ratted out against you two?" He closed his eyes and sighed. "You make her happy, that's why."

"Huh?"

"You make her happy, okay?! She was never happy in her own house, where she bickered with her father nonstop. That changed when she met you. She became less irritable, and she smiled more. I want her happy, Hashirama." Takeshi sighed in defeat. "If I rat you out, she will never be happy again."

"Oh." Hashirama's rage suddenly dissipated. So this boy did love Madara, and was entitled to have her before he came along. He suddenly felt some pity for the boy, because he knew how agonizing it was to watch a person you love but not be able to be with her. In Takeshi's case, it was worse because Madara didn't even know he cared for her, let alone love her. "Sorry about the fight, it's just…you're her fiancé, and I'm her boyfriend. Something is definitely weird about this." Takeshi chuckled, and let out a pained smile.

"I get what you mean, Hashirama, but I can't just let you have her. How about we compete for her? She's yours for now, I can see that, but if she stops loving you, she's mine to claim. What do you say?"

"You're her fiancé! If her father says no, you get her even if I win!" Hashirama argued.

"And you have her heart already, so we're even. Deal?" Takeshi asked. Hashirama turned over the possibilities in his head and smiled. His chance of winning was higher, because he wouldn't dream of hurting Madara to the point that she hated him.

"Deal."

* * *

Hiding behind the corner was a girl with fiery red hair, Mito. She had overheard the entire conversation, and was grinning with glee. Already, a plan was forming in her mind, a plan to get Hashirama away from that accursed Uchiha. The first thing she would do was to collaborate with Takeshi, and if all failed, she could rat the two out to the Uchihas through her father, the head of the Uzumaki Corporation. The Senjus were their business partners and her father wouldn't hesitate to warn Batsuma san about his son dating an Uchiha, so it would be easy.

"Just you wait, Madara. Just you wait." She whispered ominously.


	4. Chapter 4

Finally climbing out of my schoolwork and updating! School is a fanfiction writer's nightmare. Chapter 4 is up, so please enjoy! Review!

* * *

Takeshi sighed, leaning back in his seat. He couldn't believe he did such a stupid thing. Madara was his from the start, for Kami's sake! Yet when he thought about how Madara would probably be devastated if he told Tajima san, he had blurted out the "deal" with Hashirama and look where it got him. Hashirama was kissing his fiancée's cheek, having the best of times by starting a loving banter with her, while he sat in his seat, miserable because of his position in the contest. Just then, a red head approached him. Okay, his bad, because he didn't even know who the heck she was.

"Ooboro kun, ne?" She asked, smiling. Takeshi gave her a stiff smile.

"Um, yes, and you are?"

"My name is Uzumaki Mito. I am here to ask you something." Mito looked around before leaning over to whisper in his ear. "Look, I heard your conversation with Hashirama kun about your fiancée." She said mischievously.

Takeshi's eyes widened. Shit, he thought the place was secluded enough. Guess it wasn't. Mito smiled and continued.

"I heard that you love her, am I correct?" Takeshi could feel his own face heat up. Mito's laugh sounded beside his ear. "Well, it's correct then. You see, I liked Hashirama since we first met, so how about we work together? If we succeed, you get Madara, and I get Hashirama. It's a win-win!"

Takeshi thought for a moment, and shook his head. "It's not that easy. Just look at them. They are inseparable. What's more, Madara hates my guts."

"Well, we'd be stronger if we worked together, right?" Mito asked hopefully. Takeshi stared at the girl, surprised how determined she was.

" _That could work, couldn't it? Something is better than nothing, isn't it?"_ Takeshi smiled again at Mito. "Okay then."

* * *

Madara frowned at her fiancé and her boyfriend, who were busy glaring at each other. Somehow, her fiancé had garnered a distain for Hashirama, and the amount of back stabbing and eye battling was enough to make her feel a bit weird. She knew Takeshi was actually smart, so the only reason this was happening, she assumed, was because Takeshi somehow discovered what Hashirama truly was to her. He seemed to have not told Otousama about it, because then she would definitely get yelled at the minute she got home. It had already been a week since Takeshi came, and that hadn't happened yet.

"Madara, why are you frowning? There's nothing to frown at." Hashirama's gentle voice brought her out of her thoughts. She looked up at her boyfriend's loving eyes and blushed. Kami, she would never get used to Hashirama's way of showing affection. She found herself resembling a cooked lobster whenever Hashirama just smiled at her.

"I'm just not used to all the fighting behind my back." She said pointedly. Hashirama grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry, Madara." He apologized. Madara shook her head and sighed.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm not mad. I'm just not used to it all." She said. Hashirama stared at her in surprise.

"Even though you're the eldest in the Uchiha household and future heiress?"

"Yes, you baka!" She yelled, her blush returning in full force. "Especially when it's male attention!"

"So… my cute girlfriend is actually shy?" Hashirama asked, pretending to be puzzled and scratching his head to add to the effect.

"Yes, you idiot! You know this already!" Madara shouted. Hashirama laughed and hugged her close, making her even more flushed.

"Sorry, sorry. You're just too fun to mess with." He whispered into her ear. Madara just pouted and turned her head away.

* * *

Meanwhile, Takeshi and Mito were whispering to each other at one corner of the classroom.

"Okay, we need to have a plan, especially when she's so fricking in love with him. You don't have much charisma if you ask me."

"Do you have to point that out?"

"Well yeah! Weaknesses are meant to be exposed!" Mito said as-a-matter-of-factly. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at Takeshi, who stared back with annoyance. "You know, I don't know why you even think Madara would like you. I, for instance, do not find you likable, at all."

"Remind me again, why am I teaming up with you?" Takeshi asked sarcastically, crossing his arms in front of his own chest. Mito rolled her eyes and faced him off with equal annoyance.

"Because you obviously have enough charm to coax Madara into loving you." She replied with an equal amount of sarcasm. Takeshi just sighed. Women were pure hell.

"Fine, so what's the game plan?" He asked, defeated.

"Well, you will have to try to make disputes between them. Your job is to make her stop loving Hashirama, not make her love you. That is way too above your current level. Your only hope is to create a dispute or quarrel that's so disastrous Madara starts to hate Hashirama." Mito analyzed. "It's best for you to start with small disputes then slowly do your way up. Remember, disputes can add up, and it is like a poison that kills slowly. It will silently corrode their relationship until it's too late to do anything but breakup. Well, if you're lucky, one big fight can end it all, but I don't trust any of that to happen."

"…."

"Takeshi? Hey, you listening to me or not?!"

"I don't know how to achieve anything you just said. You tell me how I am going to do any of that."

"You know, for a person who wants to win another boy's girlfriend, you are hopeless."

"And you think I don't know?" Takeshi groaned. Romance, as far as he knew, was the only subject he absolutely sucked at.

"Fine, just do whatever I tell you, then."


	5. Chapter 5

Okay, Mito is going to make her move in this chapter! I intend on making them go through quite a lot before I give them happiness, so get ready for some not-so-happy moments! Oh, and please give me some reviews. At least let my review number get to ten, alright?

* * *

The next day, Mito gave her first command.

"Okay. Takeshi, you don't have to do much since you can obviously do nothing. Just get Madara to the spot I told you about a minute ago when I give you the signal. I will stage the incident."

"It's not too damaging, I hope?" Takeshi asked, worried. Mito stroke him as a ruthless person when it came to Hashirama, and he had a vague feeling that she had more up her sleeve than the plan she told him. The plan went something like this: Mito knew a junior who had a crush on Hashirama and she was the sexy type of girl. Mito would persuade her into confessing her love to Hashirama and make Madara watch it. If they were lucky, the junior would be enthusiastic enough to go as far as to touching Hashirama's body. That would intensify the effect. Takeshi's job was to get Madara to the place to view the whole thing and make sure her attention was focused there.

"You idiot, you should be breaking them apart!" Mito screeched. "Gah, just do as I say!" She immediately ran out the classroom, searching for the little junior. Takeshi scratched his head, sighing in distress.

" _Fine, now to think about how to get Madara to follow me."_

* * *

Madara glared at Takeshi, would occasionally glanced at her before turning away, as if he wanted to ask something but couldn't.

"Just spit it out, Takeshi! I'm sick of your glancing!" She yelled. Takeshi gave her a polite smile before motioning to the door.

"Let's talk outside shall we?" He asked, every bit like a gentleman. Madara decided it wouldn't hurt to talk to him, plus throw a good amount of insults at his face.

"Of course." She replied, walking out the door. Takeshi immediately followed, and guided her to a secluded area. "Well?"

"Madara, how am supposed to tell your father everything is alright? I'm not even speaking to you at any time of the day." Takeshi demanded. Madara rolled her eyes, annoyed.

"For the last time, Takeshi, you and I are going to go nowhere! Plus, I –"

"Kaichou, I liked you since the first time I saw you!" A voice sounded from behind them. Madara spun around, surprised and outraged. Who the hell besides Hashirama was called Kaichou? Plus why was he here? Glaring straight past Takeshi, she could easily see a girl launch herself into Hashirama's arms in the open space behind him, and they were kissing. Madara's mind shut off, and she felt herself shattering into a million pieces. She turned around and dashed off, tears flowing freely off her face.

* * *

Hashirama roughly pushed the crazy junior off him, rubbing his mouth feverishly. What in the world?!

"What are you doing?!" He yelled, glaring down at the junior. She looked up at him, her eyes still pathetically hopeful. "Why on earth did you do that?!"

"Because I wanted to confess to you!" The girl cried. "I wanted to tell you that at least once!"

"Well, did you have to kiss me?!" Hashirama shouted. "Just tell me and be on your way!"

"Well, someone told me if I touched you, I might succeed!" She broke into tears. "She lied to me!"

"Who told you that?" Hashirama asked, getting suspicious. "Who would think such a thing?"

"Well, I promised her I wouldn't tell." The girl stood up, wiping her eyes. "Goodbye, Kaichou." With that, she was gone, leaving only a few drops of tears on the floor. Hashirama stood frozen at his spot, suddenly feeling very apprehensive. Why was he so afraid all of a sudden? Why did he feel like he missed something extremely important? Shaking his head, he returned to the classroom. When he entered the classroom, everyone stared at him. He could do nothing but stared back. What, was there something on his face? The answer came in the form of a slap across the face. Hashirama stared in surprise as Madara's tear-streaked face glared at him, contorted with sadness and anger.

"You idiot!" She screamed. "How dare you?"

"Dare what?" Hashirama asked, bewildered. In reply, Madara pointed at his lips. Suddenly, everything made sense.

"No… don't tell me you saw…"

"Yes." Her voice was surprisingly calm. "Any explanations?"

"Yes, come with me now!" He cried frantically, tugging her along. "I'll tell you everything, I promise!" Everyone's gaze were fixed on them as he dragged her out, including Takeshi's. However, no one saw Mito slip out after them.

Hashirama pulled her into the hallway, walked around a corner, and arrived at the place he and Takeshi had a huge fight. Without hesitating, he pushed Madara against the wall, trapping her between his arms. He didn't want to let her run away if her emotions went into overdrive.

"Look, it's not like that." He began, half expecting Madara to reach up and slap him again or struggle against his arms. However, she stayed put, encouraging him to continue. "That girl just ran up, forced me to hug her, and kissed me. I threw her off in like two seconds, so somehow you must have saw us and ran away before I pushed her away."

"I don't believe a word of that." Madara's tone was harsh, but Hashirama could easily see the tears that were threatening to overflow again. There was a deep fear and insecurity in her eyes, even though her face was struggling to maintain an emotionless expression. That alone made Hashirama want to hug the Uchiha spoil her. They had come so far. He couldn't let some little incident ruin their love for each other, especially when it was completely a stupid coincidence.

"Believe me. It was just an unfortunate coincidence." He whispered beside her ear. "I already risked so much for this relationship. Why would I throw it all away? Believe me. Please." He felt Madara tense for a moment, before sighing in defeat.

"Fine, I believe you." She whispered back. Hashirama smiled and pulled back to watch her face. The tears were still there, but the relief in her eyes was unmistakable. Gently, he wiped the tears away, before kissing her right on the lips. It was a long, lingering kiss, and they both enjoyed it greatly. So caught up in the moment were they that they didn't notice a camera flash behind them.

" _The plan failed technically, but it did help my goal."_ Mito checked the perfectly timed picture of the kissing couple in her camera. Anyone who saw it would swear up and down that the pair in the photo were lovers. She smiled victoriously, and walked back to the classroom. _"Now, for the second part of the plan, and this time, there is no chance of failure. You are doomed, Uchiha Madara."_


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, this week sucks. Two presentations, and two projects. That's pure hell on earth. Anyway, I'm back to update! Enjoy and review!

* * *

That night, Mito skipped up to her father, holding the camera tightly in her hands. Her father was the fastest medium to the Senju head, Batsuma Senju, and Batsuma san was the direct messenger in her plan. The Uzumakis and Senjus had collaborated for a long time in business, so naturally, the Uzumakis despised the Uchihas as well. This evidence would definitely break apart Hashirama and Madara when it got to Tajima sama, the Uchiha head.

"Nee, Otousan."

"Yes, my princess?"

"Do you know of the elder Uchiha daughter's fiancé?"

"Why, yes of course. Tajima sama chose him for her, and I was there to witness it, although it was quite a few years from now. It was quite a happy event."

"I think I found something that might break that." Mito replied as she searched for the picture on her camera. When she found what she wanted, she handed it over to her father, who took a glance at it, and stared in shock. "The truth is so clear, Otousan."

"When did this happen? I must notify Batsuma sama at once." Her father demanded. Mito smiled and replied solemnly.

"The incident happened this morning, but they have been going out for quite a long time."

"What?! That's outrageous! Thank you, my dear. I will tell Batsuma sama during tomorrow's meeting. He has to know." Her father stood up and went to his room, muttering to himself. Mito started to smile. At first, her smile morphed into mere giggles, but it gradually turned into an evil laugh.

"Tomorrow, Madara, tomorrow. Everything will end, so you better be enjoy it while it lasts."

* * *

The next day, Mito smiled at Takeshi, who smiled back politely but in confusion. Their plan failed, so what was there to smile at?

"Tomorrow is the day, Takeshi." She whispered as she skipped pass him. Takeshi suddenly felt extremely worried. What was Mito up to now? She had more up her sleeve, just like he thought, and she wouldn't tell him. Everything might spiral out of control, only because Mito didn't really understand that if Madara didn't love him, all this would be meaningless.

" _Whatever it is, I hope all will end well."_ Takeshi prayed. He took one look at the cuddling couple beside him and sighed. His life really was incomplete without Madara, but wouldn't Hashirama's be so too if he were to lose the Uchiha? He hoped no one's heart would be broken in the end, no matter how impossible it was.

Tobirama never felt this helpless in his life. He didn't dare talk to Katsuki, much less Izuna. In comparison, his brother was so lucky he was jealous. He had made peace with his competitor, and could spend every day cuddling Madara san. It wasn't fair, but all he could blame was his own cowardice. _He_ was the one who didn't dare to talk to Katsuki, because he feared his own father's wrath, and what other people would think of him. _He_ was the one that didn't dare go to Izuna, because he didn't want to ruin the delicate balance he maintained when he started dating her.

"Tobirama? Why won't you talk to me these days?" Izuna's voice forced him to turn his gaze towards her. She smartly used her bangs to cover her mouth and whispered with the lightest of voices. However much he wanted to kiss those plump lips, he just couldn't.

'It's not about you, Izuna." He muttered softly. Izuna frowned and shook her head.

"You're lying. You no longer talk to me at all. Ever since Katsuki came, you stopped caring about me. You acted as if I no longer exist." She accused. "Do you want to be with me, or do you want to break up?" Tobirama stared at her in shock.

"What?" Tobirama exclaimed in horror. "No, Izuna. That's not what I want. I want to be with you, Izuna. It's just-"

"Neesa and I have given you and your brother our hearts. We, in turn, want you to give us yours." Izuna turned towards him, and Tobirama recognized the cold glint in her eyes. It was the unique gaze Uchihas gave their enemies. He remembered how Tajima san once had that glint in his eyes when he faced off Otousan. This was bad, real bad.

"Izuna, I don't know what made you think like that, but I care about you." He pleaded. Izuna glared at him, before sighing.

"I'm only being careful, because unlike my sister, I am do not want to be controlled by a male." She replied calmly. Tobirama couldn't believe what he just heard. Izuna was discreetly telling him that she wanted some distance between them. What had happened? Something definitely occurred. Izuna had been so willing to stay by his side during their last intimate contact. Why was she so reluctant now?

"Izuna, what happened?" He asked frantically, secretly grabbing her hand. Izuna narrowed her eyes and bit her lips.

"Nothing. I'm just trying to not fall too deep." She turned around, but the last sentence hung in the air.

"I have a bad feeling about my sister, that's all. I don't want to suffer the same fate as hers if my feelings are correct."

* * *

The business meeting was quite dull, all numbers and PowerPoints and discussions, until the Uzumaki head spoke up.

"Batsuma san, I have some news for you." He called. Batsuma turned his head to look at his fellow business partner, curious about what he had to say.

"Yes?"

"I would suggest we go to somewhere private." The Uzumaki head said respectfully. Batsuma nodded, and the two men walked out of the meeting room. Batsuma led the Uzumaki head to a little room, where tea and cookies were already ready.

"So what is so important that I had to leave the meeting room?" Batsuma asked. The Uzumaki head in reply handed over a camera. Batsuma took one look at it, and his eyes widened. "When did this happen? And how did you get your hands on this?"

"My daughter is in the same class with the two of them. She took the picture." The Uzumaki head replied. Batsuma clenched his fist, glaring at the photo of his elder son kissing his archenemy's elder daughter.

"I have to call that damn Uchiha at once." He growled.


	7. Chapter 7

Okay, I'm back. Exams this week, so there won't be much commentary! Enjoy and review!

* * *

Madara blushed as Hashirama gently kissed her goodbye when class ended. She pushed him away, embarrassed, but he just hugged her closer.

"I just want to enjoy as much as I can while it lasts." Hashirama whispered beside her ear. She pouted and lowered her gaze, trying to escape her own boyfriend's searing gaze, but he just lifted her head and kissed her again.

"Let me drown you with my love, Madara." He smiled widely. Madara laughed and hugged him back, her blush never disappearing.

"I love you, Hashirama."

"Love you too, Madara." He kissed her a third time before letting go. "See you tomorrow, Madara!"

"Okay… bye." Madara called before getting into the car with Izuna. Their chauffeur closed the door after her, and she gazed at Hashirama until the car turned a corner and he was no longer visible.

"Neesan, I feel rather ominous today." Izuna suddenly remarked beside her.

"What?" Madara frowned at her imouto. "Why?"

"That's the point of feelings, neesan. I don't know why I feel this way." Izuna said worriedly. Madara smiled at her imouto, while gently giving her a pat on her shoulder.

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, Izuna. Stop going crazy over mere feelings." She comforted. Izuna nodded uncertainly and turned back to the window, resuming her scenery watching. Madara just sat in her seat, staring into space, rethinking Izuna's words.

" _Ominous, huh?"_ She thought as the scenery went flying past the car window.

* * *

The second she set foot into her own house, Madara felt a weird cold aura around the house. Usually the house was empty, because her parents weren't home more often than they were, but today, someone is in the house. Definitely not Hikaku, who is always kind and cheerful, and definitely not Takeshi, because last she saw him, he was talking to Katsuki in the classroom. He couldn't have arrived that early. Izuna must have felt it too, because she was turning her head around warily. Her pet Kurama was curling around in a corner, as if afraid of something.

"Uchiha Madara." A voice boomed from the stairs. Madara tensed, slowly stared upwards, and saw her father standing there, his form tall, erect, and majestic. He stared down at her from the top of the staircase, and even from this distance she could see the unforgiving glint in both of his eyes, threatening to eat her whole. "Come to my study, _right now._ "

Madara's body threatened to turn to dust. What had she done now? Izuna glanced at her nervously, but she couldn't return it. Her body became a statue, unable to accomplish even the slightest movements. Somehow, her voice bubbled upwards and forced itself out of her mouth. "Yes, sir." Her father glared at her, before turning around and disappearing into the left wing of the staircase. Madara ran after him, trying to not to show too much fear. It was never a good idea to show any sign of weakness in front of her father, and by the looks of it, she would have plenty of time to show it later.

"Good luck!" Izuna yelled to her. Madara turned her head slightly and smiled nervously, trying to tell her sister everything will be fine. However, she knew she wouldn't be fine. She had the feeling that this talk with her father would change her life forever, and there was no way that would be fine.

* * *

"Sit." Her father growled at her. Madara did what she was told, and before she knew what was going on, her father slapped her across the face.

"You mongrel! You disrespectful fool!" He shouted at her. Tears gathered at the corners of Madara's eyes, but she forcefully pushed them back. She would not cry in front of her father. Never. "How dare you?"

"What?!" She yelled back. "What don't I dare do?"

"See. For. Your. Self." Her father hissed through clenched teeth while hurling a piece of paper into her face. When the paper settled onto her lap, she realized it was a photo, a photo of her and Hashirama, kissing. It was the time Hashirama had apologized to her about the junior. He had kissed her, and she hadn't pushed away, thinking no one was watching. "How dare you kiss that scoundrel of a boy?! He is Batsuma's son! To make it worse, eldest son!"

"He's not a scoundrel!" Madara's body began to shake involuntarily, and the tears finally spilled over. She hurriedly wiped them away, but they kept coming. "He is a good person! And where did you get this picture?!"

"Where I got it is none of your concern. You will be changing schools immediately. Takeshi shall accompany you." The Uchiha head said coldly. "It shall be arranged immediately."

"NO!" Madara screamed. "That is a place I am now a part of! Don't force me into another place, where I shall never fit in, ever! Let me stay!"

"Well, I can let you stay." Her father's voice suddenly became dangerously calm. "but you will have to break up with him. I will have Takeshi videotape the entire conversation."

"What? No…how could you? No…" Madara pleaded desperately. "Please…"

"That, or you leave the school as soon as possible. There is no other choice." Her father cut her off coldly. "You have failed me, you fool. To think that I actually thought you were fit to run my company. Even Hikaku is better than you." With that, he left the room, leaving her sobbing on the floor of the study.

* * *

After her father went out of his study, Izuna ran upstairs and burst into the study. On the floor, her sister was sobbing in despair.

"Neesan, what did Otousama say to you?" She cried, getting onto her knees beside her sister and patting her back. Her sister, however, shook her head and stood up. She wiped her tears away in one swift motion, before marching out the study. "Wait!"

"Izuna, leave me alone." Madara said coldly. "Just for tonight, I want to be alone in my room."

"Neesan…"

"Enough, Izuna." Her sister cut her off. She turned around and walked up the stairs, before rounding the corner and disappearing into the right wing of the staircase. Just then, the front door opened, and Takeshi walked in, along with Katsuki.

"Yo, Izuna!" Katsuki called. Takeshi glanced up the stairs and called out to Madara with a smile. "Good evening, Madara." Madara responded by silence and turning away.

"Okay, what is wrong with her?" Katsuki asked. Izuna shook her head and sighed.

"Believe me, I don't know either."

* * *

Madara held back until she slammed the doors of her room. After that, all hell broke loose. She collapsed onto her knees and started bawling. It wasn't fair, it just wasn't. There was no point in going to the school if she couldn't be with Hashirama, because he was her bridge to everyone else. If she changed schools, she would be deprived of the only person who loved her, plus no one would even like her ever again.

"Why does my life have to be so complicated and hard?!" She screamed between sobs. She knew she could never be without Hashirama to look at every day, so the only thing to do was to break up, because that way, she would still see Hashirama even though she couldn't be with him. It broke her heart to pieces, and there was nothing she could do to stop this incident from happening. It was all over, completely over.

"Hashirama, forgive me." She whispered. "Forgive me."


	8. Chapter 8

Okay, so we all know thing are going badly, right? There _are_ sad events ahead, so be warned. (I hope I created the right mood. I'm going for heartbreaking.) By the way, what do you guys think of Takeshi up until now? Please review and tell me, because I want to find out if I'm creating the correct image for him or not.

* * *

Hashirama knew something was wrong with Madara, because she wouldn't respond to any of his affection. Her mind seemed to be wondering somewhere faraway, because her eyes were unfocused, and she nearly bonked into a tree twice when they walked to school today. Ever since, she roamed around the school like a person without a soul.

"Madara, what's wrong?" Hashirama asked worriedly. Madara didn't reply: she just stared straight ahead. He circled his arm around her, but she didn't give him even a glance. "Madara, hey, look at me." She turned to look at him, and for a brief moment, there seemed to be tears at the corner of her eyes, but when she blinked, they disappeared.

"Hashirama?"

"Why are you so absent-minded? You crashed into like three people." He demanded. "It's not like you to be like this."

"Nothing, Hashirama. Nothing is wrong." She replied. Hashirama gripped her shoulder tightly, daring her to lie to him. She sighed, and gave him a tired expression.

"If you really want to know, come with me at the end of the day to the place you apologized for the junior."

"You mean the end of next class?" Hashirama asked. "What do you want to tell me?"

"Next class, Hashirama, next class." She whispered beside his ear, before breaking away from his embrace. "Now, it's class time."

* * *

Madara walked out the classroom, heading towards the place she had promised to meet her boyfriend. Hashirama's unmistakable footsteps sounded behind her, but she didn't even dare to turn around. She could hear another set of footsteps coming from in front of her, lighter but still recognizable. It was Takeshi, no doubt carrying a camera to record them. He was definitely hiding around one of the walls in front of her, ready to film her face when she spoke. Dismissing her thoughts, she stopped at the exact spot Hashirama kissed her.

"Just stay where you are, Hashirama."

"What? Why? Madara…" He came closer, so Madara forced herself to be harsher.

"NO! Just stay where you are, don't come any nearer!"

"Alright, alright, I won't come any closer." His footsteps stopped. Madara stood still, trying to stop herself from shaking too badly. Slowly, she started saying word by word the script she had thought up last night.

"Hashirama, I've become tired of you." She said softly. "You are too gullible, and way too kind." _"So kind and gullible that you accepted the horrible, broken person I am, thinking I'm worth your love."_

"What are you talking about, Madara?!" Hashirama's frantic voice blared out behind her. Madara forced the tears that were threatening to overflow back, and continued.

"I do not want a relationship that has no future. I can't bear the pressure of hiding this relationship every day." _"The pressure is what makes me feel happy every moment of the day."_

"Madara, please be reasonable! What have I done this time?" Hashirama was shouting now, but he kept his promise. He didn't even move one inch. He was too gullible, not even realizing why she didn't want him to move forward. Too kind, too gentle, too lenient with her unreasonable demands…

"Let's break up, Hashirama." She forced out, a glistening tear trailing down her left cheek.

Silence. Deathly silence. Then all at once, Hashirama pleaded and yelled at the same time.

"No! Madara, please! I loved you ever since we were kids! Don't force me to give up something I worked so hard to get!" He cried in despair. Madara was holding back sobs now, but she could do nothing about the tears that were now flowing down her face like rain. It was a good thing that she was facing away from Hashirama, so he couldn't see her face. She stilled herself, and willed herself to take it a step further.

"Even if my love for you hadn't waned, there would still be no future." _"My love for you has never waned. It is increasing in intensity even now, after seeing you try so hard to get me back, even though I never wanted us to be apart."_

"Please, Madara! Tell me why you want to break up! It's not about the junior, is it?" He yelled. "I will never ever touch her again, even see her again. I promise!"

"It's nothing about her." She said slowly, trying hard to keep her voice from breaking.  
"I made this decision because you cannot protect me from our families if we are discovered, which makes being with you undesirable. There is no guarantee." _"_ _I would be with you no matter what you are, just like how you wanted to be with me even if I was somebody else's fiancée. I was the one who was undesirable. Not you, never you."_

There was silence again. Then softly, Hashirama sighed behind her. "You are right, Madara. I am undesirable. If you don't want me, I understand, and I will leave accordingly. However, the fact that I love you no matter what will never change, because that is the promise I made to you when I professed my love. I've broken my promises once, but that will never happen again." He said softly. Madara's legs were shaking now, even though she willed them to stand still. "Even though you wouldn't let me see your face one last time before this relationship is over, I will not make you turn around, because I will never force you to do something you don't want to do."

Madara remembered the night at the hotel, when she lost her virginity. Hashirama had promised her that as well, even though they still did it. Now, she wanted him to forcefully pull her into his embrace, and see for himself how she was crying. He would comfort her, like always, when she felt sad or angry, by kissing her and murmuring loving words. She wanted to tell him how every word she said was against her will, and she meant none of it.

"Well, I guess this is the final goodbye." Hashirama said, his voice slightly melancholic. "Just remember, I will never blame you for any decision you make, and I will love you always."

With that, he started walking, and by the sounds of his footsteps, he was going away. That was Madara dared turn around. She tried to run forward, wanting to grab his coat, anything, just to make him stay, but her mind forced her back, leaving her hand suspending into midair, latching onto nothing. What right did she have, when she was the one that succumbed to her family? A sob bubbled up her throat, and she clasped a hand over her mouth to stop it from coming out. No, not now. Not when Hashirama was still within hearing range. Her body shook violently, but she managed to stifle it. She gazed at his back, his hair, his form, until he rounded the corner and disappeared, no doubt going back home. Classes were over, anyway. It was then she let out a devastated cry, letting loose all the feelings of sadness and loss.

"HASHIRAMA!" She screamed towards the place he disappeared, her tears flying through the air. She heard Takeshi rush out of his hiding place, so she turned around and crashed into him with all her body force. She heard him give a grunt of pain, but she didn't care. She punched him repeatedly in the chest, even though she knew it probably didn't hurt much because her whole body was shaking like a leaf. "I hope you're satisfied! Now I am nothing but yours! You conceited bastard!" She shrieked, before bursting into sobs again. Takeshi didn't reply. He just hugged her close, even though her tears were soaking the front of his shirt. She bawled into his chest and fisted his shirt, not caring about how much she hated him anymore.

"I'm sorry about this, Madara, but it wasn't me, I promise it wasn't." He whispered beside her ear, but she didn't even hear him. All she knew was how she had let her boyfriend down. She had abandoned him, and there was no way to get him back.


	9. Chapter 9

Summer vacation! (jumps around like a mad dog) Summer vacation = lots of opportunity & time to write fanfiction. I plan of pulling these two pairs through a whole lot of trouble, so get ready for some "why the fuck doesn't he REALIZE she's not over him?!" and "why are those freaking idiots thinking that their boyfriends _gave up_?! Hashirama is well, _Hashirama,_ and Tobirama isn't the kind that gives up easily either!"

* * *

Hashirama managed to get back to the house without breaking into a million pieces. When he got within ten steps of his home, he broke into a run. He crashed into the door, jammed the key in, and burst through when the opening was only half a person thin. The side of the lock grazed the left flank of his body, but he didn't even feel the pain. He dashed past his brother, who looked confused and shocked as he barreled up the stairs. He threw open the door of his room and slammed it back closed again once he was inside. After locking the door, he ran his fist into one of the walls, the force of his punch cracking the paint on it.

"KUSO!" He yelled, his tears finally bursting forth. They trailed down his face before dripping onto the wooden floor, creating small puddles. "No, no…" He collapsed onto his knees, clenching his teeth in despair. "No, that didn't happen…that didn't happen…I didn't just break up with Madara…." His fist slipped from the wall and fell to his side, centimeters away from the floor. His knuckles were bleeding, but he didn't even have the strength to wipe the blood off before they dripped into the tear puddles, turning them a faint shade of pink.

"Onii sama, what is the matter?" Tobirama called worriedly from outside. Hashirama didn't reply. Instead, he punched the wall again, this time recoiling from the pain because he used the same hand, which was already injured. Tobirama seemed to have heard the thud, because his voice was now even more worried.

"Onii sama, please tell me why you are barricading yourself in!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Hashirama roared, trying to keep his voice from breaking. "Just… leave me alone for a few minutes. Please." Tobirama seemed to understand in some way or another, because he could hear his brother's footsteps going away from his room. Slowly, he stood up from the floor and looked out the window, which presented him a lovely view of the sunset. However, it did not give him the feeling of happiness and achievement he always got in the past. It only reminded him of how the last day he would remain as Madara's boyfriend was coming to an end.

* * *

Tobirama could understand none of his brother's weird actions. First, he charged passed him like a mad bull, and then he locks himself in. Shaking his head, he went down to the living room, only to find someone else sitting on the sofa he had wanted to recline in.

"Tobirama Senju."

"Otousama?" Shit. Why was he here, out of all times? Next thing would probably be…

"Where is Hashirama?" His father's voice boomed. Tobirama shrank away, nervous. How was he going to tell his father that his brother was locking himself in?

"Is there anything important?"

"Yes, so get him before me immediately. I have to talk to him alone." His father replied. Tobirama immediately scrambled up the stairs, trying to get away from those piercing black pits his father had for his eyes. They seemed to be all knowing, and all knowing meant that he could probably guess he and Izuna's… enough. If he continued the thought process, he would probably collapse out of fright on the staircase. He knocked frantically on his brother door, dreading he might not answer. Yet this time, he immediately flung the door open, nearly making Tobirama pitch forward into the room in the process.

"What, Tobi?" He demanded, slightly irritated. Tobirama pointed downstairs and mouthed "Otousama", and before he knew it, his brother had dashed down the stairs with the speed of a hundred-meter dash runner.

"Otousama! Did you just call me?" Hashirama yelled before he even got to the living room. His father glared at him with –what was that? Anger? Disgrace? Disappointment? – and motioned at the floor in front of him. Immediately, Hashirama stood at that exact spot.

"Tell. Me. Honestly. What is your relationship with that accursed daughter of my rival?!" He demanded. Hashirama could feel the sadness rising up again, so he clenched his fists and tried to push it right back to where it came from – his broken heart.

"I used to be her boyfriend, but now, I'm nothing." He replied truthfully. He expected his father to punch him in the face or something, but his father merely gave a satisfied smile.

"You broke up? Then that's fine. I knew that accursed daughter wouldn't be associated with you for long." He laughed proudly. "You are too good for her."

"Otousama, is that all?" Hashirama asked, anxious to go back to his room. He didn't want to listen to his father talk about how bad Madara was, because he would no doubt exaggerate it a great deal.

"Of course not!" His father smiled. "Son, you will be the successor of the company, and the first thing to do is to make connections to other small companies. You know this, right?"

"Well, yes I do, Otousama."

"Well, then. You do know all our partners, right?"

"Of course, Otousama." Somehow, Hashirama didn't like where this conversation was heading. Madara always said he was stupid, but this time he was sure this was not going to end well.

"You do know the Uzumakis, am I correct?"

"Yes. I'm in the same class with Mito." He replied. His father smiled again, this time with a more patronizing vibe.

"Yes, yes, I know. Well, my son, from now on, you are going to be extra nice to her."

"Um, I think I'm pretty nice to her already."

"Hashirama Senju, however nice you've been to her will not do, because from now on, Uzumaki Mito will be your fiancée! Her father has already agreed to the marriage, and I want you to brew up some bond with her before you graduate!"

* * *

One more request: Look, whoever that's out there, can you include what you think about Takeshi up until now in your review or something? I need to know!


	10. Chapter 10

Hello, readers! I'm back! Chapter 10 is finally getting published! I've been doing volunteering somewhere that's not near my laptop, so updating the fic is obviously not an option. After this update, there will be two weeks of no updates, because I'm not in the country anymore (Vacation! Yay!), so please enjoy this one!

* * *

Takeshi was the one who led Madara home. They had been standing in the hallway, with Madara screaming profanities at him until she became tired and simply leaned against his chest, sniffing silently. He tried to tell her it really wasn't him, but she didn't even look at him. Realizing he could do nothing to get her to respond, he whipped out his phone and called the driver, who was still waiting nervously outside of the school.

"Hello?"

"Can you come to the front door of the school? I've got Madara with me, so do you mind giving me a ride?"

"Of course not. Come along." The driver replied before ending the call. Taking Madara by the hand, Takeshi led her towards the stairs, where they descended to the first floor. They walked through the empty school, their footsteps echoing around the halls. Madara didn't protest against his grip: she merely followed him, with eyes devoid of any emotion. Even her spiky hair looked droopy and tired. Although he enjoyed the contact, Takeshi couldn't help but feel sad. Madara didn't deserve this. She should be the happy heiress of the family, treated like a princess and loved by those dear to her, not a person who had to give everything up for the sake of a family business.

"Madara, can we talk when we get home?" He asked tentatively. Madara shook her head slightly. Great, rejection received. "Then can you please speak to me now? For a few seconds?" Another shake of the head. Great, rejected again. Takeshi sulked, Hashirama-style, inside, but on the outside, he was still the gentleman with a soft smile on the lips. He tugged her gently along, until the car came into view. The driver came out of the car and opened the door for them, motioning for them to go inside. Takeshi pushed Madara in cautiously and got in himself. The driver returned to the front seat, and soon they were on their way home.

* * *

The second they stepped into the house, Takeshi was pulled aside by Hikaku. He was dragged away to Tajimasan's office, where the proud Uchiha head stood erectly at the center.

"Well?" There was only a single word in the question, but Takeshi knew exactly what he wanted. Immediately, he whipped out his video recorder and displayed the footage. He had filmed them according to Tajima's orders, and now when he viewed the video with the Uchiha head, he realized he had captured Madara's tears perfectly. He had closed his eyes when this happened because it was such a sad sight, but now, he couldn't close his eyes for fear that Tajima san would snap at him or do something destructive.

"Perfectly filmed, Ooboro." The Uchiha smiled, satisfied. Takeshi smiled back uncertainly, not wanting to watch the video any longer. Watching Madara cry was heartbreaking, and in equal levels disturbing. Madara didn't cry often, and when she did, it was definitely devastating for her.

"Then, may I keep the footage?" He asked tentatively. The Uchiha head glanced at him confusedly, before nodding.

"Of course, Takeshi." He said calmly. "Just keep it safely, because no video of my daughter should go to the public. You can go now, Takeshi."

"Of…of course, Tajima san." He replied, taking the video recorder back into his head. He carefully tucked it into his jacket pocket, before bowing and leaving the study. When he descended the stairs, he saw Izuna glare at him before ascending the stairs and going back to her room. Katsuki shrugged behind her, before he walked into the hallway at the left side of the front door, which led to both his and Takeshi's rooms. Takeshi immediately followed him, wanting to get to his room as fast as possible. He waited until Katsuki entered his room, before rushing into his own. There, he opened his laptop and immediately streamed the video from the video recorder into the computer. When the streaming was finished, he deleted the whole thing. It may be of use later, but now, he didn't want to see it every time he flipped through his video recorder. He threw the recorder onto his bed and hurled himself onto it as well, sinking into the mattress. Technically, he won the competition against Hashirama now, but he didn't even feel one little bit of happiness.

* * *

Izuna stood beside her sister, who had burrowed into the depth of her blankets on her bed. Occasional sobs could be heard in two-minute-intervals.

"Neesan, what happened?"

*Sniff*

"Please, Neesan, answer me."

*Sniff*

"Neesan…"

*Sniff* "We broke up." *Sniff*

"WHAT?!" Izuna exploded, but her sister didn't take notice. She just covered her head with the blanket and went on sobbing. Realizing her sister wouldn't say anything more, Izuna silently slunk out of the room. She gently closed the door, and walked dejectedly down the stairs to the dining room. Her sister's dinner was still set on the table, but she wouldn't be coming to eat that now. Gently, Izuna wrapped up the meal and brought it up to her sister's room. She opened the door, placed the meal on her sister's desk, and backed out of the room. As she trudged back to her own room, she couldn't help but feel that Hashirama Senju was a total jerk. How dare he give up on her sister? Compared to Tobirama, he was already the brave one, so why did he break up with Neesan? This brought her attention to how Tobirama, being the more cowardly one of the two, might do the same. He might use this as a reason to break up with _her._ Well, that's not going to happen! Silently, Izuna clenched her fists. Tobirama would never break up with her. _She_ would break up with him. They had no future anyway, just like their elder siblings, so it was better to end it now. Tomorrow would be the day that all would end, and that would break all relationships with the Senjus. They would be the rivals they were supposed to be, not lovers who were hopelessly in love. They weren't as much in love as their older siblings anyway. Tobirama was extremely responsible and dutiful, so he should understand. Somehow, Izuna felt herself dreading the coming of tomorrow. Wasn't it the day everything would get back in order? Wasn't it the day she could embrace her own fate? Then, why was her heart hurting?


	11. Chapter 11

Finally, I'm back! Been three weeks since I got back to fanfic writing, so I suppose I have a lot of catching up to do! Last chapter, Batsuma made his horrifying announcement! What will happen next? Please enjoy and review!

* * *

 _Ring, ring…_

Madara's eyes blinked open, barely fighting against the haze of sleepiness that threatened to pull her under again. For the first time in months, Madara couldn't find a reason to rise from her bed, get ready, and go to school, because most of the reasons she chose were Hashirama. Now, that reason had vanished. As she lay on the bed, the events of yesterday poured back yet again, and she had to suppress the urge to sob into her pillow.

"Neesan, it's time to wake up." Izuna suddenly appeared at the door, looking readier than ever. Madara glanced at her confusedly, before her mind registered the fact that Izuna did not just break up with Tobirama. She probably wouldn't have problems waking up.

"I'll be down in a few minutes, Izuna." She responded, dragging herself out of bed, feeling weak and tired. Yesterday, she didn't even finish the meal Izuna brought her, so now her steps had started floating. She wandered into the bathroom and started her morning routine by washing her face. After rinsing off the bubbles, her mind started to function faster. She gave herself a light slap to the face and looked into the mirror.

"Even if I can't be with Hashirama doesn't mean I can't see him." She whispered. "I can still watch him from afar. I should change my reason of waking up to merely being able to see Hashirama everyday. Countless girls have done it when they have a crush on a boy, and they are perfectly happy. There's no way I can't do that. Plus, Hashirama would still be single. He can't find a girlfriend in one day, even though he's quite popular. May as well enjoy the last day Hashirama stays single." She willed herself to smile, and finished off the routine with a comb through her hair. With that, she put on her uniform and walked downstairs.

* * *

As she trudged along the path with Takeshi by her side, Madara kept looking for Hashirama, who normally appeared at the same time she arrived to school. He was easy to spot, so it shouldn't be difficult. Actually, she couldn't wait to see him. His presence always calmed her down, and she really needed that today. Takeshi, who seemed to sense her need of silence, wisely chose to stay quiet. Although she still detested him, she couldn't help but think he was an observant boy, and very considerate. Suddenly, her ears caught a familiar voice.

"Yesterday, I had this amazing dream…" Ugh, that was Mito's voice. That Uzumaki has an awful set of lungs. Just when Madara was about to dismiss that source of sound, another familiar voice invaded her eardrums.

"That sounds lovely, Mito." Wait, isn't that? Madara stopped dead in her tracks. Takeshi glanced at her confusedly, but she had no time to worry about him. Slowly, she turned around to face the two who were just talking, praying to Kami that what she heard was not real…

"I dreamed that we were walking along a path with blooming sakura trees on both sides! It was so romantic!" Mito squealed as she leaned onto Hashirama's arm. He didn't push away: instead, he had a smile on his face. They looked perfectly happy, as a couple. Madara's face paled as she stared, dumfounded, at the two. Just then, Mito led Hashirama right past her, and when Madara spun around, slightly turned her head backwards and gave her a victorious smile. She had deftly kept Hashirama's eyes focused forward, away from Madara, so he couldn't see her. Madara's eyes widened as tears gathered at the corners, and she started to back away, floating away like a dying leaf falling from its tree in the fall. Her book bag slipped from her shoulder and fell with a soft thud, the books inside spilling out onto the pavement. Takeshi jumped from the sound, turned around, took one look at the direction she was staring, and blocked her view at once. He forcefully threw his arms around her, hugging her close. Madara didn't struggle. She had no strength left.

"Madara, don't look now." He whispered into her ear, but it was too late. She had seen everything, everything that ruined her life. She started to cry silently into Takeshi's shoulder, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed quietly. Here she thought she could see a single Hashirama for a few days, but she was wrong. For some reason, Hashirama had chosen Mito just one day after their breakup; Mito, who would no doubt secure Hashirama completely away from her. She now lost even that last reason she had to wake up and embrace her day. She had placed everything as her bet on Hashirama, and she had lost.

* * *

Hashirama gave Mito a strained smile as she clung to his arm like a sloth. His father had made him walk her to school (Son, where are your manners? A man must always walk his girl to the places she wants to go.), and ever since they walked out the front door, Mito had started yapping away like a parrot. Sure, she was his friend for quite a long time, Hashirama couldn't help but feel slightly irritated. He wasn't too thrilled to be in such close contact with another girl so early after his breakup, and Mito was the worst choice he could have chosen (well, he didn't officially "choose" her anyway…). Now she was talking about some dream about them, which was not going to happen in real life if he could help it. He simply didn't like Mito in _that way_. Period. A friend? Why not? A lover? Not really. No.

"So where was I? Ah yes, sakura blossoms. They were so beautiful, Hashirama! I absolutely loved them. When will we get to do that in real life?" Mito asked, suddenly extremely enthusiastic for some reason. She seemed to be pretty eager to get him to walk faster, and her body was obstructing part of his view. Confused, Hashirama peered right over her shoulder. His eyes widened in disbelief.

" _What…the…"_ Takeshi was hugging Madara, his Madara, and she wasn't resisting. Hashirama clenched his teeth, and was just about to step forward when he suddenly remembered: Madara was no longer his. She was now Takeshi's, for she had lost interest in him. The competition was that if Madara stopped loving him, she was Takeshi's to claim. He had lost completely, not even being able to hug Madara one last time before they broke up and he escaped from the scene. This was all too much, too much…

"Hashirama? Why do you look suddenly so pale in the face?" Mito's concerned voice asked, but Hashirama simply turned around and fled, with Mito trailing behind him, scurrying like a rabbit. As he half-ran to the classroom, he couldn't help but see the hugging pair in his mind. He had fucked up, and the one thing he loved more than anything was now cut from his life, belonging to the person he had tried so desperately to save her from.


	12. Chapter 12

Izuna came to school alongside Katsuki, who had an arm around her. Not that she liked it: she simply didn't bother to remove it. She spotted the white head known as Tobirama just a few steps away, and made up her mind. She would do what she had to next class.

"Izuna, who are you looking for? Am I not good enough for you?" Katsuki teased. Izuna was totally disgusted. What did her father see in this flirt? She certainly didn't. Even though her sister detested her fiancé, she couldn't help but feel envious. Her sister's fiancé was way better than this up-to-no-good flirt.

"No, it's nothing." She replied, turning away from him. She went back to planning her script. She had planned everything down to the very last detail, where she would walk away, determined. She was one hundred percent sure Tobirama wouldn't protest, because he never seemed to love her completely in the first place. Sure, he was sweet, but sometimes he just felt so far away. If given the choice of family duties and her, he would definitely choose family duties, which of course, was depressing..

" _He never ever once said he loved me."_ Izuna thought dejectedly. _"Not even once. Does he even love me at all?"_ She didn't remember if she said those three words, but she was certain that Tobirama had never said them. She had always seen Hashirama san say those words to her sister, and even though she acted like she didn't care, her sister always had a prominent blush, and her mood would always improve. Izuna, on the other hand, had never experienced that. Well, none of it mattered now. In less than two hours the relationship would end, and they would be able to resume to their normal ways.

* * *

Tobirama walked to the classroom, ignoring his brother, who was busy keeping Mito happy. His damn old good-guy personality was prompting him to be nice to Mito, who he couldn't pretty much stand in such proximity. By the way he just witnessed Madara san's fiancé hug her, he was dejected to hell, but he sure wasn't showing it. Tobirama had to give him credit for it, because if something like that happened to him, he sure wasn't going to be such a nice guy. When he got in to the room, he found Izuna already seated. He walked over to her and lightly ran his finger over her cheek, causing her to look up.

"Morning, Tobirama." Izuna greeted him. Something was not right, because usually Izuna smiled brightly when she saw him, but today, her onyx eyes showed no emotion.

"Izuna? Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no. Nothing's wrong. Ne, Tobirama, meet me outside next recess, okay?" She asked sweetly, making Tobirama nod automatically. She always had that effect on him. He took his seat beside her as Sakura, Ino, Tenten, and Hinata all crowded around Izuna to have their morning chat, as they did every day. Yet today, Izuna responded with "hns" and short sentences, which was typical for most Uchihas (Sasuke was a prime example) but unusual for her. She usually had an array of emotions to show, but today, she was pretty much unresponsive. Her friends must have noticed that as well, because soon they were inquiring, like him, about what was wrong.

"What's wrong, Izuna? You seem a bit out of character today." That was Sakura.

"You know, we would listen to you, so let us in on your troubles, okay?" Now Tenten took a turn at it.

"Izuna san, um…, we're all here for you…." Hinata, although shy, gave a try. Tobirama appreciated their effort, but he was sure Izuna wouldn't say anything. Uchihas were quite introverted as opposed to their usual confident swagger, and he had always respected their wish to be able to keep their problems to themselves. That was why he never pestered Izuna if she seemed troubled. He didn't want to mess up her thoughts or anything. He always made sure she had nothing to overthink about by not saying overly romantic words, which he saw couples do all the time. He himself saw those phrases as a source of worry, because most of the time, he was a rational person, and vague words like those only served to fire up his neurons, plus waste all his energy given by his daily caffeine.

"Nope, I'm fine." Izuna replied, completely according to his prediction. Tobirama congratulated himself on his knowledge of the Uchiha, but somehow, he only felt panic. There was something seriously wrong, but he couldn't point out where.

* * *

The answer came in the form of a conversation, a conversation that seemed somewhat predicted. Okay, predicted was the wrong word. Dreaded was more like it.

"Ne, Tobirama. You don't seem to be paying that much attention to me lately." Izuna said quietly when they were alone outside during recess. A tree in blossom was shedding its petals nearby, so a few sailed downwards and landed in her hair. Tobirama admired the way those petals complemented her ebony tresses. "You seemed to be so far away, like I'm just like everyone else, not worth your attention."

"You know that's not true, Izuna." Tobirama replied, feeling slightly guilty. Perhaps he really was too stoic most of the time, so stoic that in fact not much emotion was visible on his features. Gah, he really was horrible at this. "I pay a lot of attention, Izuna. I just don't trouble you with my observations. You know me. My observations are often overly scientific and weird."

"Really." Izuna gently leaned onto his chest, half closing her eyes. Then, out of nowhere, she asked an explosive question. "Ne, Tobirama, why don't we just breakup? We drift further apart every day, so let's make the duration shorter."

Tobirama's mind blanked. "What?!"

It took Izuna a few minutes to explain to Tobirama that they were better off apart, and surprisingly, his mind was persuading him to agree to it.

"So, you're saying if we break up, we could go about our business without the burden on our minds?"

"Exactly." Izuna smiled. "We've already seen the consequence if we're discovered, haven't we?" Tobirama shuddered. He remembered his brother's face after his break up well. The devastation and wreckage he did to his room were equally terrifying. He didn't want to suffer that fate. Yet, there was a feeling of fear, a feeling of apprehension. Part of him didn't want to let go of her; didn't want to let go of the bit of love he might ever get in his life. His heart was screaming for him to grab her and hold her tightly. However, his mind overruled it. It reasoned that if he broke up with Izuna, he would lose a source of worry; a dilemma that might even be destructive in the future. Being the rational person he was, he chose his mind, which he had relied on for so long. His mind never made a mistake, so he trusted it.

"Okay, let's break up. I had a great time with you." The moment he said he, he regretted it. His heart was wringing itself, but he dismissed it. Izuna gave him a gentle yet slightly melancholic smile, and lightly kissed his lips. She gently cupped his face, and gave him a good, long stare.

"Well, then. Now we're mere friends, nothing more. I'll go back to the classroom first." She said softly, before leaving him with a light skip in her steps. Tobirama stared after her, suddenly a strong sense of loss sweeping through him. He stepped forward, trying to grab onto her shoulder or something, but she disappeared by turning the corner before his fingertips could even graze her hair. His hand fell to his side, and he felt himself suddenly lose his resolve. Her words came back to him with a crushing intensity.

" _I'm sure I'm a burden to you_ , _Tobirama. You are a person who worries too much, and I just add on to it."_

Tobirama leaned against the wall, his strength suddenly leaving him. His mind had forgotten one small detail, one that was contributed to ninety percent of his happiness. Now he understood what his brother felt, the part where the world suddenly falls apart.

" _You were a burden. That statement was correct, but the burden was sweet."_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 is up, guys! This chapter isn't that dramatic, but please, as usual, enjoy.

* * *

"It was you, wasn't it?" Takeshi asked as he cornered Mito. "You were the one that revealed the truth, wasn't it?" It was meant as a question, but Takeshi already knew the truth. "You are the only one who has connections that enables you to do that."

"Well, yes." Mito replied, smiling deviously. "I did it, for the sake of us both. Our plan was to break them up, wasn't it?" She leaned forward and smiled. "Tell me, how is she? You now have her all to yourself, don't you?"

"Well, she isn't exactly mine, because she doesn't _love_ me, Mito. She still loves Hashirama, and I can't even make a dent." Takeshi said honestly, his anger dissipating. After all, she did it for them both. "You have any advice?"

"Well, try to be more considerate, but don't overdo it." Mito suggested. "Madara is a girl that dislikes pampering, so I really don't get why she dated Hashirama for so long. I mean, all his does is drown her in affection! Madara can't stand affection from _you_ , and your gestures are first rate! Even I would have been moved!"

"Well, I'm sure they went way more than affection." Takeshi muttered, remembering how Madara always wore a pair of red floral earring when she went out although they looked slightly ancient. He made the mistake of one day giving her a pair of new floral earrings, which she "promptly refused, tossed away, and wearing her old ones, walked breezily out the door." "They have a history, Mito. It is something I cannot penetrate."

"I can get him away from her, so all you have to do is establish a bond with her! I now have Hashirama to myself, because he is my fiancé!" Mito boasted, beaming. Takeshi stared at her in shock for a moment, before congratulating her heartily.

"Really? I'm so happy for you!" He said. "It's like a dream come true!" Mito blushed and nodded. Suddenly, Takeshi realized that Mito wasn't such a bad girl, unlike what he initially thought. She was just a girl that tries everything she could to get what she wanted. On the inside, she was still a high school girl. Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around, and saw Hashirama standing there, his usual sunny expression now set in a forlorn one.

"A word with you?" He asked without much enthusiasm. Takeshi wondered what he was going to tell him. Something about the competition? Maybe.

"Of course." He replied.

* * *

Hashirama led him out of earshot of Mito by leading him to the roof, where he leaned against the railing, his long black hair billowing against the wind. His depression finally revealed itself, and now he looked nothing like the prince of Konoha High School. He looked more like an ordinary guy who got dumped by his girlfriend, which he was.

"You win." Two simple words, which conveyed infinite despair. Takeshi stared at his rival, his once powerful, sunny enemy who had confidently accepted his challenge, who now lost every ounce of his vigor. He couldn't believe how much Hashirama changed, because it simply was unbelievable.

"Well, I…"

"There's nothing more to say. She doesn't love me anymore." Hashirama cut him off. He dipped his head down, making his whole frame look even more depressed. "You win, Takeshi. I wish you well."

Takeshi stared at the heir of the Senju Company and resisted telling him that he was still winning, that he never lost at all. Madara still loved him like never before, and there was nothing he could do to make her love him.

"At least, treat her well, okay?" Hashirama gave him a melancholic smile. "She seemed pretty sad these days. Comfort her, alright?"

"Hashirama, I do not know how." _"Plus, she does not love me, and never will. Not after the stunt Mito pulled."_ He silently added. Madara may be submissive now, but she wasn't getting comforted in any way. In fact, it wasn't him who was depressing her, it was the _idiotic_ _Senju in front of him_ who didn't realize that him being with Mito was driving Madara nuts. "Oh, and you seem to be pretty close with Mito today."

"Believe it or not, she's my fiancée." Hashirama muttered. "She is my freaking fiancée, Takeshi, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't fall for her in a million years. Unlike you, I feel nothing for my future spouse. Nothing." He sighed and backed away from the railing, before roaring against the sky. Instead of a roar, Hashirama's yell came out sounding more like a strangled lion who choked on his meat. A tear silently traced its way down his face, revealing the deep sadness all bottled up inside him. Takeshi looked on with nothing but worry. Was his rival losing his mind or something? Hashirama finished roaring and started walking towards the door heading back to the school building. When he passed, Takeshi heard a ghost of a whisper beside his ear.

"Just comfort her any way you can, because I am no longer entitled to do it. I just want her to be happy, Takeshi. I really do."

* * *

Mito waited in her seat for Hashirama to return, watching Madara intently at the same time. She had lost every bit of her proud composure as a Uchiha, and now she was scribbling in her notebook mindlessly. Mito scoffed in her heart.

" _This is the Uchiha heiress? Don't make me laugh!"_ She thought. She didn't know whether she thought like that due to the appearance of the Uchiha or simply out of jealousy. Hashirama wasn't over Madara yet, even though he was super polite and nice to her. He would always look wistfully at her when she wasn't looking, and that would drive Mito crazy. Hashirama was supposed to look at her, his fiancée, not a girl he could and should never be with. _"She is just a person that would marry Takeshi, and no one else. Well, no matter, because Hashirama would be over her by the time we graduate, which is only a few months away. I'm happy for Takeshi, who is so obviously into her, although I don't know what he sees in her."_ She gently fingered the ring on her ring finger, which was an infinity band, elegant yet discreet enough to not let other people in on their company matters. Hashirama was wearing the same one, which bonded them together. _"Just touching it makes me happy!"_

Just then, Hashirama stepped into the classroom, with Takeshi following close behind. He sat down beside Madara without so much as a glance at her, which made her extremely crushed. She waited for him (even though he didn't know that), and he couldn't just spare her a glance? Takeshi, however, noticed her immediately. He walked over and sat down beside her.

"You were waiting for him, weren't you?" He asked in a gentleman-like manner. Mito was shocked by the transformation, because a few days ago he was the least charming person to her on the planet, being a sarcastic jerk and not cooperating. Now he was polite and gentle, which was, to tell the truth, quite charming. Now she understood why so many of the girls in the class screamed when he came into the classroom. "I'm sorry he doesn't even care."

"That's fine, Takeshi. We both need to work hard to get what we want." Mito replied. "I'm no better than you and Madara." Takeshi laughed and stood up, shaking his head and giving her a wink. He walked back to Neji, who looked bemusedly at him with his pale lavender eyes. He was no doubt confused by now, after witnessing how Hashirama and Madara started, broke off, and regrouped themselves with her and Takeshi. Even a genius couldn't for the world understand what was going on unless he had some knowledge of both the Senju Company and the Uchiha Corporation (which he probably did.). Mito turned back to Madara and Hashirama, who weren't interacting but had a weird atmosphere around them. If unrequited love can be felt, that would be the feeling of the atmosphere.

" _Great, still long way to go."_


	14. Chapter 14

I hate 11th grade. Period. Everyday is like a swirl of tasks and a lot of pressure. My brain already shut down like three times this week, and I absolutely needed it to restart. Thankfully, writing fanfiction helped speed up the process. Thank God I started shipping pairings. They're like engine oil, keeping me running more or less normally everyday.

* * *

Katsuki smiled tightly as the teacher called out the group members for his team. They were assigned to write a history report, and the teacher had grouped him with the person he liked the least in the whole class, Tobirama Senju. Not only was he the second son of that accursed head of the Senju Company, he was also somehow tangled with his fiancée. He always had _that look_ in his eyes when he stared at Izuna, and Katsuki always had to restrain himself from smacking the guy in the face.

"…. And Izuna. That's it for your team, Katsuki." Kakashi sensei announced nonchalantly. Katsuki's jaw dropped, and he could see Tobirama's poker face crack right in half. Izuna's face looked like she just heard her own death sentence. Kakashi glanced bemusedly at them, confusion evident in his eyes. "Do you guys hate each other so much? I thought you two…" He pointed at Tobirama and Izuna. "…were dating, and you…" He pointed at Katsuki. "…constantly flirted with Izuna over there."

The class sat as silent as a tomb. Okay, this was sooo awkward. The girls stared, aghast for some reason, at the three of them, while the boys looked on with equal confusion as the teacher. Katsuki didn't know why the girls knew their predicament, but maybe the fact that Izuna was quite popular was it. Naruto looked like he was about to say something, but Sasuke immediately slammed a palm over his mouth.

"Not now, usuratonkachi!" Katsuki heard Sasuke whisper fiercely into Naruto's ear. How he heard it he had no idea, but he was sure the emo Uchiha said that. The indignant blonde struggled against Sasuke's iron grip, but come on, a seme wasn't a seme unless he had a certain level of control over his uke. Kakashi sensei took the silence as no objection and went on announcing the subject of their report, but Katsuki's mind had already wondered elsewhere.

" _Just my luck that the worst trio in the class had to patch together a report! We can't even sort our own problems, and now we have to try not to kill each other so the report will not be splattered with blood."_ Katsuki thought irritatedly.

"Oh, and this report is going to be due in two weeks. Do it whenever you can, because I'm not going to let you off if you turn in garbage."

Kakashi sensei, Katsuki decided, was pure evil.

* * *

Izuna and Tobirama smiled tightly as they discussed about all the freaking daimyos and shinobi whatnots. Sure, Tobirama found shinobis quite cool (Ninjas that could walk on water or throw shuriken? Yes, please.), but with the younger Uchiha by his side, nothing felt cool or interesting, and the fact that Katsuki was glaring at them from his seat did not improve his mood. Kakashi sensei had insisted they rearranged the desks into groups of three so everyone could sit with their teammates and discuss but seriously, having the suspicious fiancée of his ex-girlfriend (Thinking of Izuna as his ex tore his heart to shreds, but there was nothing he could do about it.) sitting right across him did not help with the attempt at creating a peaceful, productive atmosphere.

"So…we'll be doing a report on this village? Konoha, the village our school is named after?" Izuna asked tentatively. Tobirama nodded, but Katsuki shrugged.

"If that's what you heard, then yes." He said nonchalantly. Tobirama seethed, wondering if Katsuki paid any attention during class. He swiftly flipped through a few pages of the encyclopedia, trying to mask his irritation. The book said everything from the warring families period to the founding of the village itself. Tobirama read in fascination as the dramatic story of Konoha unfolded before him in the form of words. In a way, this was his own family story too, because the Senjus were the ones that founded the village in the first place. The story was repeated a million times during his childhood years by his grandpa, and he knew it by heart. The story also included the legendary rivalry between the Senjus and the Uchihas, which had been intense since that era (Their ancestors sure could hold a grudge!). They were the strongest clans of the time, and after years of fighting, decided to create a place for peace. Peace then prevailed, but when the question of leadership arose, chaos once again resumed. The two clans couldn't agree on who to rule, and they fought over it intensely. In the end, the Senjus won. The Uchihas had been bitter ever since, and the fact that the strongest Uchiha leader in history was killed by a Senju just worsened the grudge.

" _If it weren't for that rivalry, what would have happened?"_ Tobirama mused. _"If the rivalry hadn't clawed its way into our generation, could I have a happy time dating…"_

"… rama …. Tobirama! Are you listening?" A hand waved in front of his face, nearly whacking him in the eyes. He stumbled backwards in surprise, nearly falling off his chair as Izuna loomed over him. "Class ended a minute ago, so we're taking this home. Obviously, we can't do it now." She pointed out. Katsuki didn't protest, so he probably agreed.

"Okay, if that's the most efficient way." Tobirama put on his best smile and mustered out. Katsuki merely glanced at him before grabbing his bag and Izuna's hand as she slung her own bag over her shoulders. Before she could even do anything besides that, he pulled her out the door. Seconds later, several people looked up in surprise as Tobirama's fist crashed against the desk, creating a loud bang.

" _If the rivalry hadn't existed, would I be the person beside you? Would I, Izuna?"_

* * *

Takeshi glanced nervously at his newfound girlfriend, who just didn't seem to be in there, at all. Yes, the proud Madara Uchiha had been zoning out since the second she saw those two walking together. Even though he had to thank Mito for his new connection with Madara, Takeshi couldn't help but curse internally at the Uzumaki. Was she so hell bent on wrecking the Uchiha that she had to drag her soul out of her body? Well, look what she accomplished now.

"Takeshi, looks like someone's not hanging in there." Mito called from her seat. Takeshi glared at her before walking over and dragging her out of the classroom.

"Wha - Takeshi, what the hell are you doing?" Mito shrieked. Takeshi got her out of the room before sighing and throwing out his own question.

"Mito, can you stop turning my girlfriend into a zombie? She is completely capable of that, I assure you. We're helping each other, so can you please help me by getting her back to normal?" Takeshi demanded. He was so sick of this. Why did his life have to be one huge disgusting romance highschool fanfiction-like mess complete with a complex relationship web? He sucked at this… okay, he just officially declared he sucked at his own life.

"Well, she doesn't have enough pressure-relieving abilities!" Mito countered. "You two don't look like a couple at all! She is literally still pining after my boyfriend!"

"…" Takeshi couldn't say anything about that. After all, he was still nothing in Madara's eyes. A guy who took you home after you experienced a mental breakdown because he had to? The guy who filmed your breakup with your love? That didn't add anything to his reputation in Madara's heart, he was sure. If anything, that probably made his reputation fall down a few stairs.

"You know what? We need to get to know our partners more. I have an idea. Why don't we go on a double date? That way we will know more about them and we can support each other. What do you say?" Mito suddenly asked. "Saturday this weekend."

"Do you really think this is such a good idea?" Takeshi questioned, apprehensive. So many things could go wrong at just the right time and the whole thing could become one huge angsty, mixed up disaster. Mito's plans… well, the last one was a roller coaster ride, going from about-to-fail to full blown why-the-fuck-is-this-happening.

"Don't worry. No big operation this time. It's only a simple date." Mito promised.


	15. Chapter 15

Finally, an update from Miss Little Procrastinator, don't you think? School has been trying to crush me into a pulp, and Fanfiction often has no say in any of that. Anyway, new chapter for any reader that still _remembers_ the story.

* * *

"Hashirama, double date okay?" Mito asked, smiling as they walked home together. Hashirama gave her a cramped smile, a smile she knew all too well. It was a smile that meant he was only faking it for her sake. Delicate and caring boys, sometimes they don't make you feel better at all.

"Oh, really? With whom?" He asked. Mito sighed internally and mustered up some courage. Announcing the other couple was going to be a bit awkward, but it had to be done. She was sure Hashirama was not going to like it.

"Takeshi and Madara." She announced cautiously. Hashirama's eyes widened for a millisecond before they curved up in a crescent as he smiled graciously, cleverly masking his surprise and perhaps hurt. Mito would have been fooled if she hadn't known Hashirama for years.

"That's lovely, Mito. When?"

"This Saturday."

"Oh…. Three days later. Okay, I think I can make it." Hashirama turned away as he approached his house. "Goodbye Mito. See you tomorrow." He glanced back at her, but Mito doubted he saw her in his eyes. The Uchiha was someone he would never forget for his whole life, and she knew in her heart that she could never compare to that. Still, she wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Bye." She replied with a smile that barely hung on her face.

* * *

"Ne, Madara, Mito and Hashirama wants to get us to go on a double date." Takeshi said tentatively as they did their homework together on the table in the living room. The teacher had given them Math, Chemistry, and Physics worksheets as homework. Madara was a wizard with these, and she always breezed through like she was signing the papers. Right now, she was doing a pretty good job of ignoring him. She didn't even look up; she simply finished her worksheet and stuffed it back into her folder. "Madara?"

"Whatever. I don't care." She answered coldly as she slid her folder back into her bag. Takeshi sighed. Madara had become colder these days, so cold that she only cares about schoolwork and nothing else. She had started ignoring him instead of showing her disdain outright. That's bad, really bad.

"It's this Saturday, alright?"

"Hn." Madara slung the bag over her shoulder and stalked up the stairs, her attention already lost. She disappeared into the left wing without giving him a glance. Takeshi let out a sigh of relief and got out his phone. He flicked the phone icon, and swiftly sent a text to Mito

" _Done. Get ready for Saturday, because from what I know, it won't be pretty."_

* * *

Two days went past, without any progress on the report. Izuna was extremely frustrated, because everyone on the team was either too busy avoiding each other (Tobirama's case), glaring at each other (Katsuki's case), and getting distracted (her own case).

"Okay, we're officially taking this into the weekend. Saturday, anyone?" She announced, fed up with her wandering mind and her wandering teammates. The report was going nowhere, which was saying a lot, because they'd been working on this for three days. Sure, the report was due in a week, but by the way their going, the report was still going to be a blank piece of paper by the time Kakashi sensei collected the papers and pulverized them (Okay, maybe not pulverize, but something along that line). They need a different place, which guaranteed a change in atmosphere. Tobirama gave her a weary nod, equally fed up.

"I'm sorry, Izuna. I can't focus." He said apologetically. "Seriously, I don't know what is wrong with me." Was it just her, or did she just detect some sarcasm in his voice? She hoped it was just her, because Tobirama's sarcasm really bites.

"We can do this over lunch at a café." Katsuki suggested, barely looking up. Even though his eyes were glued to a book, Izuna was sure he wasn't reading a thing. This was the thing with Katsuki: he had absolutely no plans on doing anything, including his own future. He barely concentrated on anything except girls. He wasn't a pervert, but he was such a natural charmer that he had sort of gotten addicted to female attention, which was, vaguely speaking, not very good for one's mental health. Izuna loathed him for his charming abilities, because it just wasn't fair for the girls. How could he toy with their feelings? How dare he? All these thoughts brought her attention to Tobirama, the only boy she ever dated. Somehow, she felt guilty about the break up. It had seemed that Tobirama was playing with her because he never proclaimed his love for her, but was she any better?

"So… Café? Saturday?" Izuna asked again. Both the boys nodded grimly.

"I second that idea."

"Whatever."

* * *

Saturday came faster than any of them expected, but the real surprise came when the Uchiha sisters both came out of their rooms wearing outdoor outfits. They stood, dumbstruck, as they stared at each other. Neither of them had known about the other's plans today, and it was such a coincidence.

"Izuna, where are you going?" Madara ask, startled. "I didn't know you were going out!" She glanced at her sister's outfit, which was a simple white shirt with the sleeves rolled up paired up with a baby blue T-shirt and denim shorts. The ends were frazzled by Izuna herself, and she did a pretty great job of it, and would've ripped open a few fashionable holes had their father not stopped her with a lecture on being too scantily clad. With a bohemian messenger bag hung casually on her shoulders, Izuna looked stylish but not overly fashionable, like her friends.

"The same goes for you, Neesan! I didn't know you were going out either! Plus, you're wearing date clothes!" Madara was wearing a short black one-piece dress that hugged her curves with a leather jacket, and black knee length boots adorned her legs. She also carried a simple navy blue baguette bag. "You never wear dresses unless you're going on a date!"

"Don't change the subject!" Madara snapped. Izuna shrank away. "Oh, I'm sorry Izuna, but I'm not in a good mood. Wherever you go, just stay safe." With that, she stomped out the door, leaving Izuna both perplexed and worried. What happened to her Neesan?


	16. Chapter 16

Hello, readers! This is the latest chapter for this story! I'm having quite a fun time playing around with the characters' feelings. Please enjoy and review!

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Mito clung desperately to Hashirama's arm, knowing full well this would be one of the times she could easily lose him. Today was her doing, and she knew it could backfire, but she still wanted to do it. Maybe it was because she was a sadist, wanting to see Madara suffer, maybe it was because she wanted to do a favor for Takeshi. Whatever reason she clung on when she made the decision, it wasn't such a wise one.

"Ne, Hashirama…Are you ready for a double date?" She asked tentatively, marveling how the red black checkered button down shirt went with his jeans and white t-shirt. Hashirama had a faraway look in his eyes, and he was fidgeting.

"I don't know, Mito. I don't know." He replied. Mito resisted the urge to slap him across the face. He was supposed to look at her, dammnit! She specifically wore her red checkered miniskirt and a white blouse to match his button down shirt and white t-shirt, and he didn't even notice?!

"Stop being nervous! It's only a date!" She snapped, glaring at him. Hashirama gave her an apologetic smile that looked cute and infuriating at the same time. If it was aimed at her _because of her_ , she would melt into a puddle and forgive everything, but it was because of some other girl whom she hated.

"Okay, I'll try." He murmured softly, and walked on in silence. Mito felt a little guilty for lashing out at him like that, but well, she just had to do it.

"How much longer are we going to walk?" Hashirama suddenly asked.

"Um…just one minute left, because I'm already looking at it, the restaurant in the corner."

* * *

Mito spotted Takeshi first, who looked dashing in beige pants and a brown suit jacket. Then she saw Madara, who looked ridiculously emo in all black dress and boots. Why on earth would Hashirama like that?

"Hello, Takeshi!" She called. Takeshi turned around with a slightly nervous smile and greeted her back.

"Mito." He nodded. Hashirama and Madara heeded them no attention. They were sizing each other up and down, and Mito couldn't help but notice how well they go together although they were complete opposites: spiky and straight hair, splash of color and emo, pale skin and tanned. The fact made her angrier than ever, and the way they looked at each other made her feel inconsequential compared to them. They didn't speak, but thousands of words seemed to pass through them. Finally, Hashirama broke the silence.

"Hello." A simple word, but so complex that pain flashed across Madara's face, but her face immediately returned to its normal state.

"Where's the table?" She asked, looking around. Mito rolled her eyes and motioned for a waiter.

"Uzumaki Mito, table for four." She said to him. The waiter nodded and led them to a little table near the corner, where it was quiet enough to chat, but not so distant from the crowd that they looked like they were isolated. A window was right next to the table, giving them a perfect view of the streets and the sky.

"Here, miss." He gave them the menus, poured water into the glasses, and left. The four of them were left to their own devices, staring at each other awkwardly as they sipped their water. The water had a sour spark from the lemon slices, and it sparkled in its glass as sunrays shined on it from the open window.

"Well then. What would you like? This place is famous for its panini." Mito said nervously, staring down at her own menu. Takeshi gave her an equally nervous yet reassuring smile.

"Okay, then. I would like to have the grilled chicken panini with the orange juice."

"I want get a grilled cheese sandwich." Madara suddenly butt in. However, she was looking out the window instead of focusing on the menu. Mito wondered whether she read the menu if not.

"I'll take the same." Hashirama said almost immediately. He was gazing at Madara with sad eyes. Mito seethed slightly. What the heck?

"Mito, what would you like?" Takeshi asked her. "I'll do the ordering if you like."

"Oh, um…I would like to have the chicken panini. You picked my favorite!" She pouted. Takeshi just smiled apologetically and waved for a waitress.

"Sumimasen! Two chicken paninis, two grilled sandwiches, and one orange juice please!"

"Hai!"

* * *

While they waited for the food, Mito tried her hardest to make conversation, but the two never responded. Only Takeshi seemed to do that, so it felt awkward and weird, as if they were a couple trying to cheer up another couple.

"Ne…how has everything been so far?" Mito blurted out before realizing that her question was absolutely ridiculous. Of course it wasn't alright. Takeshi, without missing a beat, replied in the similar cheerful fashion.

"It's been fine. Not much homework these days." He smiled, and Mito couldn't help but wonder how Madara resisted such a gentle face. Uchihas were so unpleasable. They simply hoped for too much. Said Uchiha was still people watching, and Hashirama was watching her. Okay, this was such a bad idea. Why did she even think of this in the first place. Luckily, the waitress saved the day.

"Hai, omachi! Cheese sandwiches, paninis, and orange juice!" She placed the snacks on the table, the scent of freshly grilled bread wafting through the air. The sandwich grabbed Madara's attention, and she immediately switched from people watching to diving into her own sandwich, munching on the bread so feverishly it was a bit hard to believe she was the prim Uchiha heiress. Takeshi had a huge sweatdrop on his head, and Mito could feel her own mouth twitching. Only Hashirama seemed unfazed. In fact, he looked almost like he was used to it. Somehow, this made Mito so angry that she slammed her chair backwards and ran out of the store.

"Mito! Where are you going? Come back!" Takeshi's yell sounded behind her, but all she could think of was how she was ignored.

" _Did he even see me leave at all? Or did he only care about his precious Mada chan?!"_

* * *

"Mito, please. Why are you running away? They were pretty chill…" Takeshi muttered as Mito sat sullenly on the bench in a nearby park. She stared glumly at the red maple leaves on the floor, their vibrancy seeming to mock her. Her heart felt dark muddy brown right now. Takeshi sat down next to her, sighing slightly.

"I know it's quite humiliating, but I'm going through that too. I'm there to support you. We're partners in this, remember?" He said encouragingly. Mito sighed deeply, and gazed up at her friend. How could this guy be cheerful his girlfriend was still so visibly smitten with another guy?

"You don't seem to feel anything."

"Yeah right I don't feel anything." Takeshi placed closed his eyes and ran a hand into his bangs, covering the right side of his face. Suddenly, he no longer seemed cheerful. He looked dejected and desperately alone. "Of course I do, Mito. Of course I do." His voice quavered a little, sounding as if he was crying. Mito looked away, feeling a bit sorry for the guy. He deserved so much better.

"You know, you could have just broken them apart. Prohibit her from talking to Hashirama could be a start. Be a bit more in control."

"I would never do that." Takeshi's left eye blinked open. "It wouldn't be fair for her."

"It's not fair for you!"

"But I love her, Mito. If that's what makes her happy, I'm not going to stop it." Takeshi said softly as he got up. He turned towards her, and Mito couldn't help but realize how tall and handsome he was with the green trees and sunlight in the back ground. Madara was missing out on so much. Seriously, Takeshi was the kind of boy every girl would fall for: gentle, tall, handsome, forgiving… not to mention rich. "I'm sorry, but I can't do it. You are a nice girl, Mito. I wish Hashirama would come to see that one day." He extended his hand. "Let's go back, even though they probably don't care. I just want to finish my panini."

Mito clasped his hand, and got up from the bench. Takeshi was right. She wasn't going back for Hashirama. She was going back to have a good time.

" _You are a good person, Takeshi. A much better person than I realized."_

* * *

Since you've finished the chapter, I propose another fanfiction for you to read: Youkoso Mangekyo Hotel. It's also Fem Madara x Hashirama and Fem Izuna x Tobirama, and I assume that whoever has read the story is fine with those settings. Other Uchihas and Akatsuki members also present, so if you're interested, please go check it out. Happy readings!


	17. Chapter 17

Finally, another chapter! Longest chapter so far, with 2000 words! I think I'm leaning towards the long chapters now... Anyway, enjoy and review as always! There's a guest who because he or she didn't type her name, I can only call you "Guest", but your reviews are always so motivating! Thank you for your support! I'm thankful for all the others as well!

* * *

Izuna, Katsuki, and Tobirama met in a little café. Tobirama felt like a really awkward third wheel as Katsuki flirted with Izuna, and they were doing nothing else besides that. Their report lay as a half-filled word doc, with no progress whatsoever. Tobirama flicked aimlessly from tab to tab on his laptop, letting the information wash over him, everything flowing through his brain but leaving no trace behind. Senjus, Uchihas, war, shinobi…nothing made sense in Tobirama's head. Why did those two clans fight all the time, even though there was nothing but pride to fight about? Why were the leaders so close that one followed the other in death after killing him? None of it made any sense. He felt drunk with history; he could almost see himself standing on the Great Hokage Rock that existed at that time, watching over the whole village of Konoha. For some reason none of the sources provided any names. Maybe it was so privately classified that no one could know nor write about it. He felt stupid, being unable to pull away from the ancient times, when his report was trying to remind him that it was still blank. Not like the other two were paying him any attention. Maybe a change of scenery would do them some good.

"Look, can we go somewhere else?" He demanded, rolling his eyes at Katsuki's antics. Izuna looked up innocently at him.

"Are we bothering you?" She asked, her face genuinely puzzled.

"No, but we're not accomplishing anything either." He glanced at the doc page, still white as a sheet. Izuna grinned sheepishly, while Katsuki snorted.

"Okay, then where should we head to now?" He asked nonchalantly. Tobirama glared at him, but said nothing. What else could he say? He didn't know where they could go and finish that damn report.

"Hey, I've got it!" Izuna exclaimed suddenly. "Let's go to my house!"

" _What?!_ " Tobirama and Katsuki yelled out at once. "Why?"

"Well, I'm a descendent of the Uchiha clan, one of the two founding families of Konoha. There's a fantastic library in our house, and I'm positive a book about the history of Konoha is in there somewhere." Izuna announced proudly. "What do you guys say?"

"Well…" Tobirama began.

"I say we go, because it seems like the easiest way to get this done since we don't have to check for credibility of websites anymore." Katsuki butted in. Tobirama felt a little annoyed, but what he said did make sense.

"Do you think this is a good idea, Tobirama?" Izuna turned towards him. Tobirama still felt like the idea was somewhat absurd, but he reasoned that it wasn't so bad. At least there was reference material.

"Okay, let's go then."

* * *

Impressive didn't completely describe what the Uchiha library was. The house itself was impressive, but the library was awe-inspiring. Rows and rows of books of any kind, especially business, dominated the shelves, and there were two floors worth of rows. The shelves were arranged in a ring on the second floor, so you could look down from anywhere on the second floor down to the first floor. A chandelier hung in the middle, shining down warm yellow light. "You're free to do anything, so please enjoy!" The Uchiha butler Hikaku had said to them. Tobirama thanked whichever Kami he saw fit that the Uchiha did not recognize him. As he and Katsuki sort of walked around in a trance, Izuna went immediately up to the second floor, humming to herself as she looked for the history section. Tobirama just stared around the space like a fool with his mouth hanging open. The number of books probably exceeded the number in public libraries. Okay, that may be exaggerating a little but still.

"Well, _hello_?! Help me, okay?" Izuna yelled from somewhere on the second floor. Tobirama looked up, and saw her teetering on a ladder, trying to get something off the shelf by reaching as far as she could. It was quite a horrifying sight to behold. "I'm too short for this!"

"Izuna, you're going to break your neck! Come down!" He screamed. Izuna rolled her eyes at him and leaped down gracefully like a leopard, her ponytail flailing behind her.

"No, I am not. Now get up here and get the book! The stairs are on either side of the entrance." She said, glaring at them. Tobirama ran to the stairs and scampered up, with Katsuki trailing behind him. Together, they dashed to Izuna's place.

"Over there. You see it?" She asked, pointing up towards a huge book with an embossed cover.

"The one with gold embellishments on the side?" Katsuki asked, looking up as well. Tobirama grabbed the ladder and propped it against the shelf. He climbed up, looking at each level of books as he stepped up another rung. The whole shelf was about history, and the timeline went backwards as the level increased. Finally, he reached the top shelf, where the huge book with gold lining stood in all its glory. _KONOHA NO REKISHI: SHINOBI JIDAI_ _(THE HISTORY OF KONOHA: THE SHINOBI TIMES)_ was written in elegant Japanese calligraphy across the cover. With some difficulty, he lifted the book up.

"Throw it down!" Izuna yelled.

"Are you sure it's that durable? It feels old!" Tobirama yelled back.

"Then slide it down the cable!"

 _Cable?_ Tobirama looked around and noticed a pulley attached on the side of the shelf where it was stuck to the neighbouring one. A bucket hung on the right side.

"Yeah well, how does it go down?" Tobirama demanded.

"There are weights on the other side, so just put the book in and we'll manage the rest." Izuna replied. Tobirama gently lifted the book out of its place and lowered it carefully into the bucket. Suddenly, the bucket began to descend.

"?!" Tobirama looked down, and saw Izuna and Katsuki lifting away the makeshift weights made of heavy dictionaries. The bucket drifted slowly until it landed with a _thud._

"Okay, you can come down now!" Izuna yelled. Tobirama climbed down the ladder and watched them struggle with the book's weight. He pitched in, and with their combined efforts, lifted it to a nearby desk.

"Okay, who came up with the idea for such a useful pulley?" Tobirama asked. Izuna grinned.

"Not me, of course. My sister did." She said proudly. "My sister put that together because she's the one who's usually here because our father makes her read and even though she's strong, she got tired of having to hug the books down the shelves."

Hm, no wonder. The eldest daughter of the Uchiha head, with her contemptuous attitude towards her father, would definitely find a way to make the whole thing easier and infuriate her father.

"Wow, interesting stuff in here, guys!" Katsuki said, flipping through the pages. "There are names!" His face turned a little red. "Okay, that came out a bit wrong, but yeah, those confidential names are on here." Tobirama leaned forward and stared incredulously at the names. Finally, they are out in the open, and those paintings! The original members of the Uchiha clan; how utterly beautiful they were. The Uchihas were naturally photogenic, and they were gorgeous even in those painted portraits.

"Seems like we haven't changed in traits, have we?" Izuna asked shyly. Tobirama looked up, and realized in absolute surprise that Izuna looked just like the boy he had been staring at. The same black hair, the same pale face, the same obsidian eyes… That couldn't be a coincidence. "Well, we're all in the same clan…"

Even so it was ridiculous, but Tobirama let it go. He read intently, and finally got to the part about the Uchiha leaders. He traced them up, trying to find the leader during Konoha's founding. His finger went up, and stopped. At the top, the name _Uchiha Madara_ was written clearly in Japanese kanji.

" _What?!"_ So there really was a Uchiha Madara. It was so… unbelievable. That sometimes hostile Uchiha actually had the greatest leader of all time as a namesake? Fucking unbelievable. He fished out his laptop from his pack and started typing at top speed. He typed down everything, until Katsuki's voice said, surprisingly softly, "Tobirama, you can stop now. You're going to hog all our participation grade." There was no malice in it, and was purely for fun. Tobirama stopped and looked up, realizing Izuna had left.

"Where's Izuna?" He asked.

"I sent her to go get some drinks." Katsuki replied. "In the meantime, let's talk. I've never chatted properly with you."

Tobirama's heart raced for a second, before calming down. There wasn't anything between him and Izuna anymore, so it was going to be fine.

"In case you're wondering if I'm going to chew you out for dating Izuna, I'm not." Katsuki said with a lopsided smirk. Tobirama looked away guiltily. "I'm curious about what you're going to do after high school."

"After high school? Just help with the family business. Be my brother's aide de camp. Do my duty as the Senju family's second eldest son." He replied truth fully. He didn't know why, but the way Katsuki asked him the question, it was devoid of the nonchalance and carelessness he possessed, as if he was really interested.

"I'm so jealous of you!" Katsuki wailed suddenly, smiling in a pained way. "I have no idea about what to do after high school. My life never had any true meaning to it, only perhaps grabbing the attention of girls. It became like a game." A flash of sadness flashed in his eyes. "Izuna was different though. You can feel it, don't you? The vitality, the freshness… there was something so pure and not-of-this-world in her. She's really worth going after. I don't know why you gave her up, but if I were you I would've clung as to her as tight as I could."

Tobirama could barely contain his rage. Why didn't this doofus get it? Why? The Uchihas and the Senjus… they don't go together. He flipped through the book to avoid punching the idiot altogether. Suddenly, an open scroll that was pushed flat on the page came into view. Tobirama scanned the words, and suddenly, the leaders' deaths made sense.

" _Madara, Ore, Kimi to Ishyio ni Konoha no Sato wo Sodatetagata. Gomen, hontoni gomen, aishiteru kara, modetekiteyo! Naniga atemo mamoruyo! Dakara… modore… Madara…" (Madara, I've always wanted to sustain Konoha with you. I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry. I love you, so come back! Whatever happens I will protect you! So come back…Madara…)_

They were in love. That was the ultimate secret. That was why they wouldn't part in death. Hashirama Senju, the Senju clan head… was in love with the Uchiha clan head, Uchiha Madara… it was beautiful and grotesque. The feud had driven even the strongest apart and his brother and Izuna's sister had been the next victim in line, reliving history in the modern world.

"Tobirama?" Izuna suddenly asked. She had returned from getting drinks. Two cups of soda rested in her palms. "What were you guys talking about? Your face looks weird."

"Oh, nothing much." He managed, turning several pages over the scroll. "We were talking about the future."

"I think he'll be very successful!" Katsuki said as he started chatting animatedly with Izuna. Tobirama watched the scene with rage and sadness burning inside him.

" _So this is my destiny? To eternally hate Uchihas? Why should I be the next victim? Why? My brother didn't deserve this, Madara san didn't deserve this, Izuna didn't deserve this. Heck, even Katsuki and Takeshi didn't deserve this! I want to break out of the cycle, to get rid of all hatred."_ He glared at his namesake, who had been the person who made the Uchihas forever hateful of Senjus. Why did he have to be named after such an asshole? It was time to take on the role of the Senju head, Hashirama Senju. _"He may have fucked everything up, but_ _ **I'm not going to.**_ _I will make this name proud again, and risk whatever I have for my brother and Madara san. I will unite the two clans, and end all feuds and sadness."_

* * *

Somewhere in the library, a wood carving of the Uchiha head stood in a glass case covered with cobwebs. It was a work worthy only of the head of the Senju clan, who was a celebrated wood sculptor. A mysterious drop of water gathered at the corner of its painstakingly sculpted eyes, and silently slid down its cheek.


	18. Chapter 18

Sorry, dear readers, for not updating. On top of the usual schoolwork, I suffered from a little existential crisis and other anxiety problems that left me a little wrecked. I'm back on my feet now, so thank you for all those that continued to wait for my update! Enjoy and review!

* * *

Many months passed, and no progress whatever had advanced. Hashirama was still smitten with Madara, and Mito could do nothing about it. At least she had Takeshi, who remained at her side and comforted her like a real gentleman. He hadn't gotten any farther with Madara, either, but he always comforted her nonetheless. They were like the sad exes of the main characters, trying their best to remain happy. The finals were fast approaching, and Mito had a feeling that something was about to change drastically.

"Ne, Takeshi." She said one day. "Where will this lead us?"

"What will?" Takeshi asked, giving her the puzzled look that was quite nice on his handsome features.

"Our lives." She simply replied. Takeshi, amazingly, understood. He seemed to be able to anticipate her thoughts quite easily now.

"I don't know, Mito, but I'm happy now." He replied, giving her a gentle smile. Mito's heart skipped a beat. Even though he meant nothing she was sure, she still felt the familiar thumping of the heart, and it scared her. It was the same feeling she had when she met Hashirama for the first time.

 _Mito sat down in a window seat, waiting for class to start. Her junior high school life was starting, and she had no idea what to do with it._

" _Can I sit down beside you?" A boy's voice sounded beside her. She turned around, and a kind face came into view. He had long, dark brown hair, and his black eyes shone kindly. His skin was tan. "Do you mind?"_

" _No, no, of course not." She said hurriedly, playing with a strand of stray hair. This guy was quite handsome, and well…she was a silly high school girl. They were silent for a few seconds minutes as he settled into his seat._

" _By the way, my name is Hashirama Senju. Yours?" He suddenly asked. "I just remembered I forgot to introduce myself." He explained._

" _My name is Mito Uzumaki." She said timidly. Hashirama looked startled._

" _Oh! You're the Uzumaki Corporation boss's daughter!" He exclaimed. "Nice to meet you, Mito."_

" _N…Nice to meet you too, Hashirama."_

Just like that, they became friends. They had lunch together, and Mito got more friends because of his friendly nature. He was the person that gave her high school life happiness and excitement, and she became to fall for him more and more. Yet he always seemed so out of reach, so faraway, even though he was always gentle to her.

" _Ne, Hashirama. You ever thought of getting a girlfriend?" She asked him one day. Hashirama turned around sharply, a light blush on his face._

" _Maybe." He said simply. The air became charged, and they were silent for quite a long time. Mito cursed herself for asking such a stupid thing._

" _I'm sorry." She broke the silence. Hashirama shook his head and gave her a tight smile._

" _No, no, it's alright." He hurriedly replied. Mito tried her seductive smile on him, trying to get his attention, but he seemed oblivious to it, even though he was blushing._

She always dreamed of being his girlfriend, and perhaps, just perhaps, if she hadn't appeared, everything would have been normal. That fateful day…

 _She was walking along Hashirama's side to school when he suddenly ran to this girl's side. She had long spiky black hair tied in a ponytail, and a pair of red floral earrings on her ear lobes. She was quite slim and curvy at the same time, and a perpetual contemptuous expression seemed to be etched onto her face. He was chatting to her like they were old friends, and until today Mito has never seen her before. She seemed annoyed by his presence, but he still jabbered on. How could he be so interested in talking to her?_

That was just the beginning. Hashirama was never so much in love with anyone else. The way they interacted, the way they bantered, the way they walked together… there was a sense of closeness, a sense of invisible intimacy. Mito tried her best to get the old Hashirama back, but all she got was a handful of shattered expectations: there was no way. The minute he ran out of the dance hall for Madara, Mito knew it was hopeless. Everything she had been doing now was actually pointless: the roping Takeshi into the plan, and the double date. She knew it was horrid to everyone around her, but she couldn't stop. Somehow, she just couldn't. All she could do was push forward with her plan like a robot, even though she was reaping nothing from the process.

"Mito?" Takeshi's concerned voice pulled her back from the despair. She looked up at him, slightly dazed. His hand was on her shoulder, lightly shaking her.

"You looked like you were going to cry." He explained. "I thought a tear was going to run down your cheek any minute."

"No, I wasn't, but thanks for noticing anyway." Mito said, braving a smile as she brushed away the tears that had formed in her eyes. Why had she been crying anyway? She didn't even remember the tears-pooling-in-the eyes part. Maybe she was sad that Hashirama would never reciprocate her feelings? Or…

" _Maybe it's because whoever I want by my side just ends up being out of reach and ultimately leaves me behind."_ She decided as she gazed into the eyes of the boy she suddenly found herself not wanting to let go.

* * *

Madara stared dumbly at her textbook, her urge to study lost the minute she turned to the first page. Who cares about photosynthesis when her marriage is supposed to happen after graduation? She flipped absentmindedly through the pages, accidentally tearing the page a little. Now the picture of the rose had a tear in the middle.

"Mind studying with me?" Hashirama's voice sounded above her head. She looked up, and was met with friendly yet melancholic black eyes. They used to be so close to her face… now, they were just the eyes of an ordinary classmate. She shook her head, and Hashirama faced her with the textbook in his hand.

"Wanna make a bet?" He asked, his eyes glowing mischievously. Madara glanced at him suspiciously, beckoning him to say more. "You know, like old times? You're so going to lose to me on the graduation test score."

"In your dreams." She shot back, her old competitive spirit flaring. Hashirama smirked.

"Well, then. Let's bet on it!"

"Why do I have to go with your silly game?" She asked, glaring at him. They were back to their old mode of chatting: retorting and bantering throughout every sentence. It felt surprisingly comforting, even though it wasn't the best.

"Because you love me." He countered, before realizing how charged it was. He looked away with a red face, and Madara blushed.

"I'll accept your challenge. Not because of the reason you said, though. Let's bet on a meal." She finally replied after a long pause, giving him a defiant smirk. Hashirama smiled again, and they returned to their old way of being around each other. They discussed about biology, math, and physics with no personal feelings whatsoever, and Madara relished the feeling of total ease when it came to academics. There was no space for personal thoughts, and facts prevailed. It was the best it could get when the awkwardness would have put off both of them. Madara relaxed into it, letting Hashirama's intelligence and dependability wash over her. If this went on forever, she wouldn't have minded. Of course, that wouldn't be possible, but a girl can dream. She pretended she was listening as she contemplated the tan fingers, long and nimble as they turned the pages. Subconsciously, she reached out and grasped those fingers.

"….!" Hashirama stared at her, his eyes wide with surprise. Madara looked up, horrified. Now she ruined everything.

"…. Pretend I did nothing!" She said frantically. Hashirama looked away, and Madara looked down again. Hashirama's hand grasped hers tightly before letting go. What is done cannot be undone, but some things just refuse to loosen up and crumble away.


End file.
